For You, I Will
by Saige C.P
Summary: COMPLETE! With the Dark Lord back in the picture Harry's life has turned upside down and he is in more danger then he's ever been in before. But as the danger closes in, Harry will discover a secret kept from him by his mother that will change everything.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the world of Harry Potter. I am merely giving my own little version; inferior to that of the great work of the all mighty J.K Rowling to which all rights are reserved. All characters, creatures or magical objects you do not recognise from the series are my own creation. **

**Warnings: This story contains dark themes, child abuse, coarse language, character death and other themes that may not be suitable for young children. This fanfiction doesn't 100% fit into the storyline of the first four books; though there are only very small details I have changed so there's nothing to worry about.**

**Foreword: This is my first fan fiction. Just another one of those crazy fanfictions where Snape is Harry's father, beginning in the summer before Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts with a much unexpected twist. Don't like…then don't read…because I don't care. Also mixed in here is the all popular Severus Lily love story, Sirius lives in this version (hoorah) and of course a juicy Hermione and Draco romance to spice things up a bit (But that doesn't come till much later). Once this is all done, I suppose you could expect a sequel; I'm quite enjoying this fanfiction.**

**Summary: Now with the Dark Lord back in the picture Harry's life has turned upside down and he is in more danger then he's ever been in before. Danger is closing in on him from all directions and not just from Voldemort and his devious followers. Soon he feels he has nowhere and no one left to call his own. But can a secret kept by his mother since before he was born change all that? One thing's for sure: Harry's life will never be the same again.**

**For You I Will**

By Saige C.P

**Prologue**

Severus was packing his travelling bag; he would be away for a long time. A storm was brewing threateningly outside, bringing with it the promise of early nightfall. Brow furrowed, he started to pack faster resorting to just stuffing his belongings in the pack. He had to meet the other Order members before darkness, he could not be late… and he still had to tell Lily he was going.

He wondered how she would react, she was usually alright with it, and she was in the Order too after all. But this time it was different, he would be gone for weeks, months maybe and he wouldn't be able to keep in contact with her to let her know he was alright. No, she'll be worried. She won't want him to go. But he had to; not going was not an option. He sat down on the double bed and their black kitten, Cuda, jumped up on his lap begging him to stroke his back.

_Maybe I should just leave a note explaining everything…_

No, bad idea! That will only worry her more. He decided he'd better wait for her to come home and tell her himself. Besides, he surely couldn't leave for so long without saying goodbye to his wonderful wife in person.

Lily ran up the flight of stairs to her third floor apartment, three steps at a time. Gasping for breath she can to a halt in front of her door, searching her pockets for her flat key. She was so nervous and excited that she dropped her keys twice before she managed to slot them in and open the door. She had just come from St Mungo's, feeling ill, to be checked out by a Healer but now she was so filled with excitement she could hardly breath and she couldn't wait to tell Severus what the Healer had told her.

Closing the door behind her she went straight to the fridge in the small kitchen and poured herself a glass a water; she was absolutely parched. She had sprinted the three blocks down from her building after she had apparated from the hospital, having not concentrated hard enough when she'd left; harsh stormy winds whipping her long hair around her face. She gratefully downed the whole glass in one, the cool water soothing her sore throat, as she thought of how she was going to break the news to Severus. She couldn't wait to see his face when she told him; he was going to be so happy.

'Lily? Where have you been?'

'Hey Sev,' she turned around to face her husband and returned his warm embrace. 'I've just been at St Mungo's.'

He looked down at her worriedly. _St Mungo's? She did say she'd been feeling a little unwell lately but…_'Are you ok? Is something wrong?'

'Yes of course I'm ok. Why would anything be wrong?' she said, deciding to play with him a little before letting him in on the surprise and laughing when he looked confused. 'I'll tell you about it later but right now I wouldn't say no to a shower; and dinner with a movie afterward.'

She moved off into their room but Severus didn't follow her. She'll notice something is wrong soon enough; she always does.

'Severus,' he heard her say and she walked in the room again, this time carrying his bag in her left hand. 'Going somewhere, are you?' He almost smirked when he saw her face; now it was her turn to be confused. Looking at his shoes half the time, he told her about the meeting he'd been at that evening and that the Order of the Phoenix wanted him to go on the next raid on the Death Eaters' headquarters, in disguise of course as he was still spying for Albus, and that they would be leaving tonight.

'So' she said after listening for half an hour, standing patiently in the doorway, 'you were going to leave without telling me?'

'No, I was waiting for you when you came in.'

She nodded gingerly, deep in thought. She knew she couldn't tell him not to go. She was always doing business for the Order as well and he never made her refuse any requests she was given, it wouldn't be fair on him. 'How long will you be gone?'

'Weeks probably. Months maybe. We're not sure yet.'

Nodding again she turned from him and went to sit on the edge of the couch, an internal struggle raging in her head. _I can't tell him, not now. But I must tell him, he could be gone for month, I don't know when he'll be back. NO! I mustn't! His task is very important, he needs to be totally focused on what he's doing, and his mind couldn't be on other matters…_

'Lily' she heard Sev say and looked up to see him kneeling before her on the floor so he could see her face, wearing a worried expression. _He thinks I don't want him to go, _she realised.

Severus wasn't sure what to say, how to explain to her his urgency to go. 'Lily…please…I have to go…I can't not go after…'

Understanding, she finished for him. 'After what happened to Jonah'. Jonah was Sev's good friend but he had been killed by a group of Death Eaters a week ago. Lily knew he wanted to avenge Jonas and now was his chance…and she couldn't take that away from him. _I'll have to wait till he gets back to tell him._

Getting up, she went back over to the doorway, picking up his bag where she'd left it and gave it to him. 'Go get them then.'

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Severus pulled her closely to him again, smelling her beautiful red hair. 'I don't deserve you.'

Lily grinned. 'Let me be the one to judge that.'

He smiled down at her, how he could have ever been so lucky to be hers he could not imagine. He truly meant what he'd said: he didn't deserve her; he didn't think anyone did. She was so amazing, so understanding, everything about her was so perfect; she deserved nothing but the best. He knew he wouldn't give her up for anything; he would do anything for her.

'I won't be gone any longer than necessary,' he assured her.

'And I'll be waiting for you.'

'I love you, Lily.'

'I love you too.'

He gave her a single passionate kiss and then went over to the fireplace, taking a handful of floo powder. She turned away and headed for the kitchen, not wanting to see him go. _Am I really not going to tell him? No! He'll be back soon and I can tell him them when all this is done with. But what if something happens? What if he doesn't come back? _Changing her mind at the last second, she ran back into the living room.

'Severus! Wait!'

But she was too late. He had already disappeared in a whirl of green flames, leaving nothing behind but specks of soot on the floor. She stared hopelessly at the empty hearth; she couldn't go after him because she didn't know where he was going. She had missed her chance to tell him and now she would have to wait. 'I'm pregnant.'


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One**

**The Plea**

'Uncle Vernon, please!' Harry begged as his uncle hit him across the face again, causing him to collapse on the kitchen floor. 'I swear, I swear I didn't!' His pleas did nothing to falter the raging man's attacks; if anything it only encouraged Vernon Dursley to hit him harder.

'Liar!' roared Vernon, his face turning a dangerous shade of purple. 'Don't you ever hurt my son again!' You hear me?'

'I swear I didn't touch him!' said Harry desperately gasping for breath, unable to stop the tears running down his face.

Finally the beating was over and Harry laid cowering at his uncle's feet; his vision blurry because he'd lost his glasses sometime during the assault. 'Come here you useless whelp,' he heard Vernon say, who grabbed him by the ear and dragged him out into the hallway and up the stairs to his room. Unfastening the various bolts and locks on the boy's door he flung Harry onto the floor by his bed like he was nothing more than a rag doll.

'You will stay in here until you go back to that freak school of yours…and there'll be no food for another three days!' Vernon stomped into the room after him and Harry thought for one frightful moment that his uncle was going to continue hitting him. But instead he went over to his desk and picked up Hedwig's cage which he always put a cover on at this time of the day so she could sleep. 'And you'll be sending no more letters to your freakish friends either.'

Taking the cage with him he left the room and throwing Harry's glasses onto the floor beside him, he slammed the door behind him with sound of the locks being reset again following soon after.

For an hour or so Harry kept slipping between consciousness and unconscientiousness. He felt like he'd been run over by a herd of Hippogriffs. His head felt heavy but most of the pain was coming from his right ankle, he was sure he'd broken it when he'd fallen on it awkwardly back in the kitchen. This had been the worst beating yet.

All havoc had been unleashed when he'd arrived at Privet Drive all those weeks ago. Uncle Vernon had finally lost his patience with him and was yelling at him every chance he got which would usually lead to him bashing his nephew to within an inch of his life. The Dursleys were also starving him more often then they'd ever done before and now he had become insanely thin, too thin to be considered healthy.

By now he was used to it but things were starting to get out of control. His uncle was becoming more and more violent with him and he felt so weak he was scared he would simply die one night in his sleep from either his injuries or from starvation. He hadn't told any of his friends about what Vernon had been doing to him because he'd been threatened not to or he'd win another session as Mr Dursley's punching bag. But he had to now he realised, tears still falling from his emerald eyes; he would have to get help from someone in the wizarding world or the Dursley would eventually kill him; one way or another.

After ten minutes of groping he found his glasses beside him, relieved and surprised that the lens hadn't broken. Holding onto the edge of his bed, he clumsily pulled himself up trying not put pressure on his bad ankle. He hopped painfully over to the closet and opened the left door to reveal Hedwig perched up on one of the shelves.

Harry had suspected for days now that his uncle would try to take his owl away from him to prevent him from sending her for help. Since then he'd been leaving her in the wooden closet every time he left the room and only letting her out in the middle of the night and when she was sending a letter for him. Plus, he'd put a cover over her now empty cage after filling it with heavy old school books he didn't need anymore to make it seem like she was still in there, in case Vernon tried to take her by force. It was only a matter of time before Vernon Dursley figured out Hedwig wasn't in the cage, but at least it would buy Harry some time.

Hedwig went along with it without complaining as if she understood exactly why he was doing it. Harry was extremely thankful to her for not making a sound through the whole ordeal with Uncle Vernon; she was his only companion here and he wouldn't be able to bear it if she was taken from him.

'Come on Hedwig,' he said and she flew out onto the desk waiting for him to join her. Harry couldn't help to think again that she knew exactly what he was thinking. He limped slowly across the room when his right ankle gave way and he fell onto the floor in a heap. Clinging onto the desk chair he couldn't stop himself crying. He was in so much pain; he shuddered when he realised the Dursleys had broken him at last.

Hedwig hooted softly to him, encouraging him to pull himself up. When he finally managed to pull himself into his chair he gently stroked her feathers affectionately before starting on his letter. He knew he couldn't send it to Sirius, his godfather, as he was still in hiding and would be in risk of being sighted if he turned up here. His second thought was to send it to Professor Dumbledore but Hogwarts was too far away and he didn't think he could wait that long. He needed someone closer, someone that could be here in only a few days; his thoughts immediately fell to his best friend Ron Weasley. No, not Ron, he would have to write directly to Ron's dad, Arthur Weasley, if they were going to take him seriously.

Looking over his letter Harry realised he'd still been crying when he'd been writing it and parts of his handwriting was now smudged from where the tears had fallen. But he couldn't rewrite it, he needed to send this letter as soon as possible; and besides he thought it was still readable. He folded it up, wrote 'Mr Weasley' on the front and gave it to Hedwig.

'You need to take this to The Burrow,' he told her, 'and when you get there, stay there! It's too dangerous for you here now. I promise I'll be there soon.'

She immediately soared out the window with the letter, flying to the Burrow as fast as she could, sensing Harry's urgency.

Completely exhausted and head still throbbing, Harry flopped awkwardly onto his bed and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror on the opposite wall. He face was covered in a mixture of tears and blood from a nasty gash on his cheek. Beneath the blood and tears, he could see blue and purple bruises appearing all over his face, on his arms and he was sure, all over his back as well. Appalled by his appearance he rolled over, turning his back on the mirror and fell into an uneasy sleep; praying that Mr Weasley would come to rescue him soon.

It was another typical summer morning at The Burrow. All the Weasleys were present at the kitchen, besides the two oldest sons Bill and Charlie of course, enjoy a wonderful breakfast prepared by Mrs Weasley. Fred and George were experimenting on their scrambled eggs with some vials from their pocket and receiving many stern looks from not only their mother but also from their older brother, Percy, who was deeply engrossed in a heavy book he was reading while eating with the words 'Wizarding Law' titled on the front cover. Ron was debating with his sister, the youngest and only Weasley girl; Ginny, on the status and level of flying talent of Ron's favourite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons. Even Mr Weasley was there, having taken a day off from his work at the Ministry of Magic, and was enjoying going through this weeks addition of the newspaper, 'The Daily Prophet'.

'I talked to Dumbledore last night,' he announced suddenly and everyone at the table immediately stopped what they were doing to listen to him; even Percy. 'I asked him about young Harry and what would be happening to him this Summer break,' he continued, 'and he said that if it was ok with us then Harry could come stay here for the rest of the Summer holidays next week.'

'So Harry's coming?' Ron asked, getting excited that his best friend might be coming to stay with them.

'Yes, I told him we'd like nothing more than to have him here.' All the Weasley children looked very happy about this, besides Percy who had gone back to his book, apparently not caring whether Harry Potter would be sharing a house with him for the next month or not. 'Is that alright, Molly?' Arthur asked his wife, but already knowing the answer.

'You know I love having Harry here, Arthur, he's such a good boy' she said, 'Besides, I don't like it when he has to go stay with his aunt and uncle; something doesn't seem right about them. And he's always so skinny whenever he comes back from their house; I think they starve him.'

'Oh, I'm sure your just imaging it, Molly' Mr Weasley assured her, 'So Ron, after breakfast you can go upstairs and write to Harry, letting him now we'll be coming to…

'Hey! Isn't that Harry's Owl?' said Fred suddenly and everyone immediately turned to look at the window where he was pointing.

'Yeah, it's Hedwig!' Ron exclaimed as he got up and went to the window to open it so she could come in. 'Harry must already know he's coming here!'

'I suppose Dumbledore must have told him, but how he got the news to him so quickly, I have no idea. What does it say Ron?'

'It's not for me,' said Ron, turning to his father and holding the letter out to him, 'It's got your name on it, Dad.'

'What?' Mr Weasley took the letter, starring confused at the front where his name was clearly written in Harry's handwriting. Ron sat down in his chair next to George, evidently hurt that Harry had written to his dad and not him.

Still perplexed as to why Harry would write specifically to him, Arthur opened the letter and began to read it to himself. It was really hard to make out at first because most of it was smudged with what, he realised with a shock, were tears.

20th July

Mr Weasley,

It's Harry. I'm sorry if I don't make a lot of sense but it's sort of hard for me to think straight at the moment and I need to write and send this before my uncle discovers what I'm doing. Everything's been going wrong. Since I got back Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia have been very angry at me and I don't know why. They've never liked me but I think they've finally lost patience with me and are trying to get rid of me. Whenever they used to punish me, they'd give me only a little food to eat as punishment. But now they've just stop feeding me altogether, I only get to eat something every few days and they're keeping me in my room, the door is locked from the outside so I can't get out. My uncle is getting very violent with me, he…he hits me whenever something goes wrong and says it's my fault. It's happening more often and getting worse. He really hates me and I don't know what to do. I feel so sick. My head really hurts and I broke my ankle just now when I fell while me uncle was beating me again. Everything hurts. I wrote to you because you're the closest and I don't think I can hold on much longer. I'm afraid my uncle will kill me as soon as he realises Hedwig's gone. I'm not kidding! Please send someone over here! I need help now! Please Mr Weasley! Please! I'M REALLY SCARED!

Arthur couldn't believe what he was reading. When he'd finished the letter he realised his family were all looking at him worriedly, having seen the furious look on his face. Standing up, he put his travelling coat on which had been hanging on the back of his chair and gave the letter to his wife.

'Read it, but don't show the children. As soon as you have alert Dumbledore and Lupin immediately and Sirius if you can…he should now. You'll understand when you read the letter.'

'But Arthur…

'Just do it Molly. I'm going to Harry's house, I'll be back soon.' Then he left through the back door and out into the garden where he apparated, leaving the other Weasleys oblivious to what was going on.

'Hermione, come downstairs, dear. Lunch is ready.'

Hermione Granger looked up from her textbook momentarily to see her mother in the doorway. Smiling she looked back over her notes for Ancient Runes again checking she hadn't made a mistake. 'I'll be down in a second, Mum. I'm almost finished.'

'I sure hope so,' Mrs Granger chuckled, 'you might as well live in here with all the studying your doing. Honestly, will it kill you to stop for a moment to come and eat with us?'

Hermione smiled at her mother. Joan Granger had bushy, ginger hair like her daughter that was tied back loosely and fell to her waist. Having been married and had Hermione when she was twenty; she was still very young even though she had a teenage daughter.

'I'll just be a second, I promise,' Hermione replied, opening another book beside her to clarify some facts she'd looked at a few days ago.

'Well ok, just don't be long.'

Her mum left and Hermione heard her go down the stairs. She had lied again. She had only just started her Ancient Runes homework after working on her Arithmacy all day. She was obsessed with finishing all her homework before she and her parents went to Diagon Alley on the weekend. She couldn't wait to get her new books for the coming term so she could get to studying for her O.W.L's straight away. She smiled again when she imagined the look on Ron and Harry's faces when they found out she'd been studying all holidays.

She glanced up from her book for a moment and looked over at the wall by her desk that was covered in photos of her and her two best friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. The three of them in the common room, Harry and Ron practising Quidditch on the weekend, them and other classmates out at Hogsmeade in the Three Broomsticks, a picture of Ron and her playing Wizard Chess, Christmas in the boy's dormitory with Ron groaning because she'd bought him a book for his present, Harry riding Buckbeak, the three of them having a snow fight on New Years and many others.

Hermione couldn't wait to see them; after dinner she would send a letter to both of them asking them if they wanted to meet her in Diagon Alley. She was actually quite worried about Harry; he had been very brief in his letters and in a way he didn't quite seem himself. She would write his letter first; she would ask to come and see him as well before the weekend. She and her parents only lived a little over an hour away from Privet Drive and she'd already asked her mum if it would be ok for her to go see him.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion from downstairs that rocked the whole house and the lights on the ceiling went out. Hermione heard her mum scream and she heard other voices in the house as well that she didn't recognise. There were more blasts and shouts; in horror she recognised one of the voices. _Lucius Malfoy. Death Eaters._ There were Death Eaters in her house!

Crawling off the bed, she went over to her desk and pulled out her wand from the top draw; holding it like a sword in her wand hand. Her heart was racing. She had to go help her parents, nothing else matter. She was scared senseless though.

She crept over to the doorway and peaked into the hall. No one was there. Everyone was down in the kitchen. She raced the length of the hall and down the stair. Looking back she realised that was probably the worst thing she could have done, because the Death Eaters had heard her come down. As soon as she turned into the kitchen a Death Eater in the corner grabbed her from behind. She screamed; fighting desperately against him though he was much stronger than her. He twisted her arm back painfully, forcing her to drop her wand and slammed her onto the tiled floor. Her head hit the floor awkwardly and she felt dizzy. She could hear other Death Eaters all around her laughing and cheering but everything was a blur. Lifting her head feebly she saw her father lying next to her but he wasn't moving and his brown eyes stared at her lifelessly. With one last desperate cry she blacked out and knew no more.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Two**

**The Rescue**

Harry stood trembling; pushing against his bedroom door, trying to stop his uncle from coming in. It had been three days now since he'd sent his letter to Mr Weasley and still no help had come. Vernon Dursley had finally discovered that Hedwig was missing and had come storming up the stair yelling for Harry to get his 'ungrateful backside' out of his room. Harry was so alarmed by his uncle's fury he'd run to the door preventing the man from entering.

He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. He was really in for it now, he couldn't hold off his massive walrus of an uncle forever. His uncle charged again, this time almost succeeding in opening the door. Harry yelled out in alarm, getting more scared by the minute.

WHAM! The door burst open and he was sent flying forward onto the floor. Uncle Vernon came storming in, bringing Harry's old schoolbooks with him. Harry was momentarily reminded of the Mountain Troll he and Ron had saved Hermione from in their first year. He was brought back to reality when his uncle started pelting the heavy volumes at him, one of them hitting him in the back of the head.

' You useless, ungrateful little mutt!' Vernon yelled down at him, ' You thought you were clever, didn't you! Thought you could trick me!' He picked Harry up by his collar and held him so they were almost nose to nose. Harry tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he had no energy left to fight.

'Did you send that ruddy owl to those abnormal people you spend all year with?' Vernon demanded, 'DID YOU?'

'No, I…

Before he could register it, he was flung out the door and then down the stairs; hitting each step as he went down unable to stop himself from falling and ending up in a heap on the floor. He tried to get up but he felt a stabbing pain in his side and realised that he couldn't breathe. Gasping for air, he heard Uncle Vernon taking his time as he came down the stairs after him, no doubt enjoying the site of him squabbling on the floor. One of his Uncle's feet came at him, striking his broken rib and his vision went white; and he passed out from the agony.

Arthur Weasley appeared out the front of number four Privet Drive, restraining himself from rushing up the driveway. The house looked completely normal and no passers by would have ever thought that a teenager was being abused inside but Mr Weasley, having worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office his entire career, knew better than anyone else that not everything was as it seemed.

Seeing the front door wasn't locked, he didn't even bother knocking as he opened it. He knew the Dursley wouldn't let him in willingly anyway after he'd blown up their fireplace the last time he'd come to take Harry away. Stepping inside he was shocked to find Mr Dursley in front of him at the foot of the staircase and even more shocked when he saw he was kicking the bundle on the floor that was Harry.

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING!' he shouted, running over to put himself between the boy on the floor and the giant of a man.

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE? GET OUT!' Dursley spat at him almost insanely, his face so red Arthur was scared he was going to explode.

Something inside Mr Weasleys head snapped and held his wand up threatening to the Muggle's face.

'Don't force me to do something drastic Mr Dursley,' he growled dangerously at the much taller man, ' Go upstairs and stay there; and I'll be gone within half an hour. But if you don't cooperate I will turn your head into a giant onion.'

'You're bluffing.'

'Are you ready to bet on that?'

Vernon Dursley obviously wasn't because the next second he ran up the stairs and into a room on his right locking the door behind him. Mr Weasley relaxed, glad he hadn't had to use magic on the man. He turned to the Harry, and knelt beside him.

'Harry.' But he didn't even stir. He grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him gently on his back to examine him more closely.

He couldn't believe the boy in front of him was Harry; he was almost unrecognisable. He was covered from head to toe in bruises and cuts, he had a particularly nasty gash on his left cheek. He had one black eye; his glasses were still on his face but the lens were shattered and from the blood soaking into the carpet by his face, Arthur discovered that he'd been struck in the back of his head as well. He also looked at the boy's ankle and saw that it was indeed broken as he'd written in his letter.

For one horrible moment Arthur thought he was dead because he couldn't hear him breathing but after putting an ear to his chest he was relieved to find he was; but barely. He had to get Harry back to The Burrow now. e ahHHHHHHHGently he picked the boy up, surprised at how light he was. Deciding it would be a bad idea to go out the front where they could be seen, he made his way to the back of the house and into the small backyard. Once he was on the grass he disapparated taking Harry with him; afraid that he had been too late.

Molly Weasley sat anxiously in her chair by the fire, grasping a letter tightly in her hand. The moment she'd read it, she'd ran into the living room to the fireplace to call first Dumbledore and then Lupin who had said he'll tell Black and that he'd be there right away. Now she sat back feverishly, waiting for them to arrive. The children were in their rooms after she'd told them to go upstairs, not wanting any of them to see her worried.

But she couldn't help feeling frantic after seeing the tears on Harry's letter. She wanted to go after Arthur and help but she had to stay or the kids would just get more suspicious. It certainly wasn't like Harry to reach out like this; he was too proud, he must really be in trouble to have sent a plea for help. Molly didn't know anything about Mr and Mrs Dursley as Harry never talked about them but she had always thought there was something not quite right about them. The thought that they would knowingly inflict harm on their nephew sent shivers done the length of her back. Harry needs someone, she thought, someone that will look after him and always be there for him. She only hoped that her husband had got there before they could harm him any further.

She heard someone apparate in front of the house, praying it was Arthur with Harry, she went to the door to let them in.

A couple of identical Weasleys closed their door behind them and made their way up to the attic, doing their best trying to creep quietly up the creaky staircase. Knocking once, they quickly stepped into Ron's room, not wanting to arouse their Mum or Percy. Forgetting completely about how heavy the door was, it slammed shut behind them when they didn't shut it themselves, sending an echoing boom through the house.

'Fred, George you idiots!' Ron hissed at them running to the door to check if Percy had heard them. 'Lucky!' he said, after he was sure there was no one on the stairs, 'How many bloody times do I have to tell you to close the door yourself?'

'Careful Ronny!' one of twins teased, 'You're starting to sound like Percy.'

'No, he's not,' said Ginny who had arrived earlier and was sitting by the window, 'but if Mum hears us we're dead.'

A short silence followed.

'What do you thinks going on?' asked George sitting down on Ron's bed, bringing up the subject they'd all been thinking about.

'I don't know.' Ron was the first to answer. 'Why would Harry write to Dad? And why had Dad left so suddenly to Harry's house?'

'He really looked angry about something didn't he. And did you see Mum's face when she read the letter? She looked like she was about to cry,' Fred put in.

The other three nodded. A longer silence followed; each of them absorbed in their own thoughts, trying to imagine what Harry could have wrote that would get such dramatic reaction from their parents.

'Hey!' Ginny cried out suddenly, causing the boys to jump, 'Dumbledore's here!'

'What?' Ron, Fred and George ran to the window beside her. Indeed the Hogwarts headmaster was outside on the lawn making his way to the house. The four Weasley children trembled when they saw the grim look on the old wizard's face.

'Something's really wrong,' whispered Ginny, now very afraid but not sure exactly why.

The other silently agreed with her. Why else would Dumbledore be here? They watched as their mother let him in, looking deeply distressed.

'I can't take this anymore,' Ron announced soon after, 'I'm going downstairs and demanding to be told what's happening.'

'We're coming too.' The twins followed him to the door but Ginny remained by the window still thinking.

Ron and the twins were just about to close the door behind them when she yelled out to them. 'Wait!' Someone else had just appeared in front of The Burrow carrying a smaller, limp figure in his arms. 'Dad's back, and he's got Harry with him!'

There was a banging at the door and Dumbledore and Molly rushed to the kitchen. Both were relieved to see Arthur at the door but their hearts skipped a beat when they saw a bruised and bloody, unconscious Harry in his arms. They swung the door open so he could come in.

'Arthur,' said Dumbledore, going to help him carry the boy, but Arthur brushed him off heading for the living room, Dumbledore and Molly following right behind him. 'What happened?'

'I apparated to Harry's house,' he explained hastily as he layed the boy out on the sofa, 'and when I went inside I found his uncle in the hallway, beating him to death. I managed to stop his uncle and forced him to go upstairs. Harry was already out of it when I checked on him. He's not breathing properly, Albus, I think he's suffocating.'

'Let me look at him.' Mr Weasley stepped aside to allow Dumbledore to examine the boy.

Dumbledore knelt down to look at Harry closely. He placed a hand on the boy's chest and his heart lightened to feel Harry's but it was very faint. He inspected his neck and then ran his hands down his ribcage trying to find the reason the boy couldn't breathe. Harry gasped painfully in his sleep and Albus found the source of the problem.

'One of his ribs has punctured his left lung,' he told Mr and Mrs Weasley who both gasped. 'Don't worry, I can easily heal both his rib and lung but I dare not heal all his other wounds until he awakes.'

Just then, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny walked in; their eyes falling to the beaten individual on the sofa.

'You four,' said Mrs Weasley angrily, 'Go back upstairs now!'

'Harry!' Ron shouted, ignoring his mother, racing to his friend's side immediately, 'Harry, are the ok?'

'He can't hear you, Mr Weasley' Dumbledore explained gently, 'He is presently unconscious.'

'But what happened?' Ron demanded, getting upset, 'Who did this to him…HEY! HE'S NOT BREATHING! HE'S…HE'S…

'No, Mr Weasley, he's not dead but he is finding it very difficult to breath at the moment. I need you and the others to go back upstairs so I can treat him. We will bring him up as soon as we're done with him, I promise.'

Ron looked at his headmaster morosely for a moment before giving in and leaving; the others following him, still shocked by what they'd seen.

When the Weasley children had left, the three adults heard another crack from the front garden and Lupin came hurrying in, his ragged robes billowing behind him and stopping shocked in the doorway when he saw Harry.

'Remus, what took you so long?'

Lupin had to tear his eyes away from his friend's son to answer Molly's question. 'I was busy with Sirius, I had to literally tie him up to stop him from storming to Privet Drive and murdering Harry's aunt and uncle.'

He walked over to stand behind Dumbledore who was waving his wand over Harry's chest. 'How is he?' he asked when the professor had finished.

'I've just healed his punctured lung and broken rib, I don't want to do anything to his other injuries though. The combination of all the healing spells might put him in a comatose state. Once he has woken we'll be able to heal the wound on his head, his broken ankle, that black eye and all his other bruises and cuts.'

'But he will be ok, won't he?'

'Physically, yes, he should make a full recovery. But emotionally, I cannot say. His uncle has given him quite a beating.' said Albus, stroking the boy's hair and then standing to leave. 'I must go to Privet Drive to speak with Mr and Mrs Dursley. You should take him upstairs and put him to bed. Do everything I said when he wakes up and give him lots of water. I will be back tomorrow to talk to him. Goodbye.'

Molly left too, to show him out. 'Thank you, Albus,' she said as she opened the door for him.

'Thank you, Molly, for alerting me so quickly.'


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Three**

**The Captive**

Ron hadn't slept all night, too worried about his friend who his Dad and Lupin had carried into his room that evening and placed on the spare bed. They'd told him one of Harry's ribs had stabbed his lung but they wouldn't tell him how it had happened, saying Harry could tell him when he was ready. Ron sat on his bed leaning his back against the wall, watching Harry's chest slowly rise and fall under the thin covers on the bed next to him.

Harry looked worse than he had when Ron had seen him downstairs; his bruises had all turned a deeper purple; some of them were even black. Mum had bandaged his head and ankle, saying that they wouldn't be able to treat either until morning. He shuddered when he remembered seeing Harry on the sofa; how he'd thought he was dead. He prayed that he'd never have to see Harry like that again. He noticed also that Harry had lost a lot of weight since he'd last seen him. His face had thinned considerably and Ron could see his ribs clearly through the sheets. He almost laughed when he thought his mum will have him fed up again in no time.

He glanced up at the clock on his wall which told him it was three in the morning. Mum was going to freak when she found out he hadn't gotten any sleep at all. But he couldn't sleep, as much as he wanted to, his mind wouldn't let him. Sighing, he looked down at Harry again. He had so many scars there was no way he had gotten them all at once; some of them looking older than others. He had been frequently attacked by something or someone. By the shapes of most of his bruises Ron knew that someone had been hitting him. But who? Who would hurt him while he was staying at Privet Drive? Ron wondered why Harry hadn't told him in any of the letters he'd sent over the last couple of weeks; why he hadn't confined in him. He would just have to ask him when he woke up.

Harry groaned in his sleep and rolled over; his eyes fluttering open. Ron was instantly out of bed and by his side. 'Harry,' he whispered to him.

'Ron?' croaked Harry, 'What are you doing here?'

Realising that Harry couldn't see him, he grabbed his friends glasses from the table which Lupin had fixed earlier and put them on Harry's face. 'You're at The Burrow, mate,' he explained.

Harry tried to lift his head to look around the room but he immediately felt sick when he did. He felt terrible; his whole body ached but at least his side wasn't hurting anymore and he was breathing perfectly fine now. Turning on his back, he realised he really was at The Burrow, lying in the spare bed in Ron's room.

'Your dad got my letter,' he mumbled.

'Yeah, Hedwig arrived yesterday at breakfast,' Ron said in hushed whispers, 'he read the letter and left in a rush telling Mum to call Dumbledore and Lupin. Dumbledore came about ten minutes later; me and the other saw him arrive from up here 'cause Mum had told us to go upstairs. Dad came not long after carrying you into the house and put you down on the sofa. I thought you were dead…' Ron had to stop for a minute, he was on the verge of breaking down but he stopped himself before Harry could notice, who was staring unblinkingly at the roof.

Ron went on. 'You'd broken a rib which had stabbed your lung, but Dumbledore fixed both of them up and then Dad and Lupin brang you up here. None of the adults will tell us what was in the letter you sent.'

Harry nodded, but didn't elaborate. Neither of them said anything for a while.

'Harry.' Ron muttered, and Harry turned his head slowly to face him, 'What did the letter say? Who did this to you?'

Harry bit his lip, not sure he could face telling Ron. He was still very shaken himself. Looking at Ron kneeling by his bed, he saw his friend's blue eyes had grown watery while he'd been talking and it hit all at once just how much Ron cared about him and knew that if he could talk to anyone about this; it would be him.

He looked directly into Ron's eyes. 'My uncle.'

Ron gasped; hearing the last thing he'd expected to hear.

'The Dursleys,' Harry continued, ' they'd been starving me ever since I arrived at Privet Drive and locking me in my room for days at a time.'

'How did you go to the bathroom,' Ron interrupted before he could stop himself.

Before Harry could stop them, the tears started coming and he was soon weeping openly. 'I had no food in my stomach, I didn't need to go. My uncle started beating me a week after I got back whenever something went wrong, like when the microwave broke or Aunt Petunia's tulips died, saying it was my fault. He made me write as if nothing was wrong and read all my letters before I sent them so I couldn't tell anyone. It just got worse and worse. I got so weak I could even try to fight him off when he hit me, just wait until he stopped…' He couldn't go on, not wanting Ron to see him like this any longer he buried his face in his beaten arms but he still couldn't stop himself from crying.

Ron sat down on the bed beside Harry and pulled him into a hug, not knowing what else to do. Harry's body hurt when he hugged Ron back but he didn't care, Ron's comforting presence made the pain seem insignificant right now. They sat like that for what could have been hours until Ron realised Harry had fallen asleep. He set him down carefully on his bed and removed his glasses and put them on the table beside him.

He climbed into his own bed and lay on his back, his head still buzzing from what Harry had just told him. He couldn't believe what Harry's uncle had done. Harry had been through so much; always been so strong, it had been hard for Ron to watch him break down like that in that one moment for something one of his own relatives had done to him. At last he turned over and fell asleep; his mind set on one last thought of determination: he would make sure no one hurt Harry ever again. No one.

At his home at Spinners End, Severus Snape sat in his small kitchen drinking his morning cup of coffee. He had slept in again, though he couldn't really give a damn. The usually nightmares had been keeping him up all night. It was half an hour to ten and he took his time reading The Daily Prophet, as he had no plans for that day but as usually it was filled with nothing but the usual crap. Throwing the paper in the trash and tipping his bitter coffee in the sink, he went back to his room and took a quick shower and got dressed. He wore a pair of jeans that he'd never let any of his students see him wear and a dark shirt that he hadn't worn for years and he didn't know why he was wearing it now.

He came back into the kitchen to make himself a real breakfast when the clock on the wall struck ten o' clock. Suddenly a letter appeared out of nowhere and hit his head causing him to spin around in alarm, pulling his wand out of his jeans pocket. Seeing the letter on the kitchen floor he hesitantly bent down to pick it up and was shocked when he saw the handwriting on the front that had written his name. He hadn't seen that handwriting for nearly sixteen years. How was it possible that he was getting a letter from her after all this time? Holding the letter in his hand as if it was a treasure, he went to the kitchen table to sit down, unsealed the letter carefully and began to read:

13th October, 1981

My Severus,

Though if you are reading this it means that I am almost certainly dead and have been so for many years; it also means that by some miracle you are still alive. For weeks now James and I have been in hiding, and though we are well hidden and safe here, I do feel something is amiss and that soon a dreadful commodity will take place. James has assured me I'm simply stressed from all the disturbing events that have been taking place of late but I still tremble at the thought of what would happen to my baby boy if anything were to happen to me and James. That is the reason I am writing to you Severus. I have charmed this letter so that it won't be sent to you until a week before my son's fifteenth birthday and so only you can open it. You are most definitely wondering why and I'll get to that in a moment, once I have explained. It is so strange writing to you in this manner when you are only a single floo away. I cannot imagine what has happened to you in the last fourteen years nor do I have any idea of how the war is progressing; if it is still raging which I pray it isn't. I can only assume and hope that you are living a decent enough life and are at least well and content; otherwise this letter would be rather pointless. You may or may not have ever come across my son, Harry; as I have written already I do not know of what is to come in the future. I am sitting beside his cot watching him sleep as I write this. He is a very happy, cheerful little boy and very talented; yesterday we found him sitting up on one of the topmost branches of our willow tree. We're still trying to figure out how he got there. But I am straying off the subject of which I sent this letter in the first place. I do not know quite how to tell you this so I'll just get right to the point. James Potter is not Harry's father; you are. Please allow me to explain. I became pregnant in early November two years ago but before I got the chance to tell you, you had left on the errand with other Order members. When word had reached us that you had been killed in combat I was in a nasty situation; I was widowed, broke and with your child. James took me in; we married to keep Harry safe and told everyone he was James'. When Harry was born James adopted him but on his birth certificate it clearly states that you are Harry's father. Those records are well hidden for obvious reasons. When you returned a month later thing just got worse and worse; I couldn't tell you for it would put both you and Harry in danger. I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me, my Darling, but I had no choice. The day he was born I placed a complicated illusion spell on him so all his feature he received from you would look like that of James'. However, the spell is not permanent, as you would probably know. At precisely midnight on his fifteenth birthday the spell's affects will breakdown all at once and he will look the way he's supposed to be. As James and I are dead, I presume that Harry will have passed into Sirius' or my sister Petunia and her husband Vernon Dursley's guardianship. Despite this, it is my dying wish that as Harry's biological father, you would take care of him. I am obviously asking a lot of you but it would put my soul at rest if you did. You are a good man Severus and I know that you'll take care of Harry; our son. At this moment he is receiving a letter like this explaining everything. Please seek him out Severus, I have told him to expect you sometime during the week. I am sorry for all of this my love and once again I pray that in time you'll forgive me. Know that I love you; I always have and always will no matter what happens. You are the one and only love of my life and I will wait for you forever until we can be together again. Please stay safe and tell Harry that I love him. I must go now for he has just woken and needs to be fed.

Goodbye my love,

Forever yours,

Lily.

Severus couldn't believe what he'd just read; feeling like he was going to pass out he slid out of his chair and sat himself on the kitchen floor. What was he going to do? How could he possible go and talk to Po…no, his son…after he'd hated the boy from the moment he'd layed eyes of him; that first night of term four years ago when he'd watched a miniature version of James Potter being sorted into Gryffindor. But he didn't really look like Potter; it was all just an illusion, soon the spell would break and his son would look the way he was supposed to. _His son!_

It hit him, like a bludger in the face. _He had a son! He and Lily shared a son!_

And by now the boy…his son…would know the truth too, if he chose to believe it. He wasn't even sure _he_ wanted to accept it. He wasn't even sure he wanted a son. When he'd been younger and Lily had still been alive, of course they'd talked about and had agreed they'd have children one day; but now she was gone and he was much older, thirty-six next February, he didn't think he could handle a child; let alone a teenager for that matter.

_I have to talk to him though. Sooner or later he'll come to me anyway. Won't he?_

What if his son didn't want anything to do with him? What if all those years of hatred had made them despise each other so much it was impossible for them to ever have a relationship? He couldn't think about that; he wouldn't. He was still unsure if he was going to see the boy…his son…anyway. And he had a whole week to decide.

Tied up. Dark. Hurting. That was all Hermione could register about her condition and her surroundings. She didn't know where she was or how long she'd been there but it was pitch black and she was freezing. Her legs were bound and her hands had been tied tightly behind her back. More than anything else, her attention was drawn on how much her head hurt and it was painfully to move. She was completely immobilised.

It was hard to think straight. Everything was a blur. Sometimes she could hear voices and horrid laughter but she wasn't sure half the time if she was imagining it or not. There was only her and this dark place. At first she'd thought she must have been dead, but then why was she feeling so much pain?

She tried to remember how she'd got here. She recalled being home with her parents and then the shouts and screams; and the Death Eaters. She had been kidnapped by You-Know-Who's followers; she was a prisoner. But why had they attack her house? Why had they taken her? And where were her parents?

She heard voices again. They were closer this time and she could make out what they were saying.

'He will send word to us when he wants us to act.' Hermione recognised the voice immediately; Lucius Malfoy. 'In the meantime, the Dark Lord wishes us to question her about Potter.'

'And if she refuses to talk?' asked the other.

'Then use whatever means necessary to persuade her, but don't kill her. She is no use to us dead.'

Hermione heard a door open and a candle was lit. She saw she was in a dungeon; she guessed it was under some sort of lake or something because the black stone walls were damp in most parts. She could make out two tall figures standing over her; Mr Malfoy and the other man she recognised as Buckbeak's would-be executer, Macnair.

Macnair pulled out his wand, Hermione thought he was going to curse her but instead cut the ropes binding her.

'Up!' Mr Malfoy barked at her, his wand out too; pointed threateningly at her face.

Weakly, she pushed herself up to her feet. She was scared senseless but she tried not to show it; not wanting the two men to see how frightened she was.

'Out!' Malfoy pointed to the door and she went immediately. The Death Eaters followed her, jabbing their wands into her back. If she tried to run she knew she'd be dead before she hit the floor. She came into a dark tunnel that was lined with green candles on the wall. 'Left!' She turned left; shaking from head to toe despite her efforts. They walked in silence, passing other doors as they went. Hermione could hear screaming as she passed some doors and she figured she wasn't the only prisoner here.

'Stop!' She did. Macnair walked around her; unlocking the door on her right. 'In.'

They pushed her inside; it was just like the room she'd been in before only there was a table and two chairs in the centre. There were more green candles in this room, some on the walls and some floating in midair. 'Sit.' Hermione was getting quickly fed up at getting ordered around like this but again she did as she was told. Mr Malfoy took the other seat opposite her and Macnair stood behind her; his wand still on her.

Mr Malfoy considered her a moment and then spoke. 'Would you like something to eat?'

Hermione was taken aback; she hadn't been expecting him to ask her that. 'No,' she replied feebly.

'Are you sure? You've been in that room for a week, you must be hungry,' Mr Malfoy mocked her.

'No!' she said more forcefully this time. She was indeed hungry but she knew better than to except anything from a Death Eater. 'Where are my parents?'

The man sighed and ignored her question. 'Now listen here Ms Granger, normally I wouldn't be so pleasant towards scum such as yourself and would have you tortured till you were dead instead. But I have been ordered to keep you alive. You are in no danger as long as you co-operate and as soon as we have what we want; you'll be free to go. How you spend your stay here however is entirely up to you. It can either be pleasant or very, very unpleasant.'

Hermione decided to go along with his game; hoping to get some information out of him. 'And if I should wish it, how would I make my…stay… more pleasant?'

'By helping us to get what we want.'

'And what would that be?'

Mr Malfoy looked at her menacingly. 'Harry Potter.'

Hermione felt like Macnair had poured a jug of cold water down her back. So that's what they were planning! They had her here to question her about Harry. They wanted her to betray him.

'So Ms Granger, will you co-operate?'

'What would happen if I choose not to?'

Macnair laughed wickedly behind her.

'You don't want to know what will happen to you if you don't. Whether you choose to speak freely or the…other way…you will give us what we need eventually.'

Hermione glared at him angrily. 'I will never betray Harry.'


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Four**

**The Secret**

_He was back in the graveyard, Cedric stood beside him; his wand out. Wormtail came out of nowhere carrying the small bundle that was Voldemort. Kill the spare! Kill him! There was a flash of green light and Cedric fell on the ground; dead. NO! CEDRIC! _

'Harry, wake up! Harry!'

Harry woke up again in Ron's room. It was morning, glancing at the clock he saw it was almost nine o' clock. He could just make out Lupin, his ex-professor, sitting on a stool by his bed, still shaking him lightly to make sure he was properly awake. He'd been having a nightmare he realised, just another horrible nightmare. He was ok; he was at The Burrow. Still gasping, he shook out of Lupin's grip and took his glasses from the table beside him.

'Hello, professor,' he said weakly.

His dad's friend smiled warmly at him. 'Hello, Harry. How are you feeling?'

He didn't know how to answer. He wanted to tell Lupin he was fine so he wouldn't worry about him but he didn't want to lie to him either. Lupin smiled understandingly.

'I'm here to make you feel better,' he announced and he did just that. Half an hour later, he'd fixed the wound on his head, healed his ankle, he had taken care of the angry bruises and cleaned the gash on his cheek saying it would heal better if it did so by itself.

Lupin glanced at his back suspiciously as Harry, not facing him, pulled his shirt back over his head. There was long, old scar that ran down the length of his back, looking several years old now but still quick striking against the boy's pale skin. He quickly changed his expression when the boy turned back to him not wanting his friend's son to see the look on his face.

_If James and Lily only knew what had happened to their son…_

Though Harry felt much better after, the treatment had left him quite sore all over and he had to sit back on the bed to stop himself from collapsing. Straight away, Lupin pulled out a vial and handed it to Harry.

'It'll numb the pain,' Lupin explained when Harry looked at him suspiciously, 'I take this stuff after every full moon, it'll last until the aches go away.' Harry greedily downed it all in one.Instantly a strange sweeping sensation ran through his body all the way to his fingertips, making him feel a little hazy and light-headed.

'Better?'

'Yeah! Thanks professor!'

'I'll go now so you can get changed; everyone's downstairs eating breakfast. Molly wants you to come down and eat something once you're ready.'

'Ok,' Harry said quietly, having no intentions of eating.

'Dumbledore will be here soon; he wants to talk to you,' Remus added just as he closed the door, leaving the boy by himself again.

Harry turned to his trunk on the floor beside him, pulled out some grey jeans and one of Dudley's old shirts that was at least three sizes too big for him and got slowly dressed. He didn't want to go downstairs and be faced with the prospect of eating. He was scared he'd throw up anything he tried to swallow and he couldn't bear it if any of the Weasleys saw him like that.

Just when he'd pulled the large shirt over his head, there was a knock on the door. 'Come in,' he said, as he sat down to put on his shoes. Professor Dumbledore walked in, carrying with him a small dish with a couple pieces of toast. Smiling kindly at the boy, like Lupin he asked him how he was feeling and Harry responded by saying he was feeling fine. The headmaster sat down in the stool Lupin had just occupied and held out the plate to Harry.

'Molly's worried about you. She had me bring these up,' he chuckled heartedly and Harry couldn't help but smile too; the first time he'd smiled in a long time.

'I don't think I can eat anything at the moment, professor,' he replied, hoping the old wizard wasn't going to force him.

But he didn't, just chuckled more and he set the plate on the table. 'I figured as much.'

An awkward pause followed. Harry knew what was coming; Dumbledore was going to make him relive his whole time at the Dursley's just like he had last year with the graveyard. But the man surprised him yet again.

'I'm not going to ask to tell me what happened at your relative's, Harry, I know pretty much everything already after speaking to them last night. I only came here to let you know that if you ever do want to talk to me; you can.'

Harry looked up gratefully at his professor. 'Thank you, sir.'

'Also, I've come to inform for you that because of the…recent events…you most definitely will not ever be staying with your aunt and uncle ever again. In fact, and it disappoints my to say it, your relatives are not allowed to see or contact you in any way for any reason and vice versa.'

Harry exhaled; a massive weight falling off his chest. 'That's a relief.'

Dumbledore placed a comforting hand on his shoulder briefly and then slowly rose to leave. 'I'm afraid I can't stay Harry. I have some business at the Ministry I must take care of. You'll be staying here for the rest of the holidays. Take care, Harry.'

'Goodbye, professor.'

Harry sat on the bed, staring at his feet. He had just been wondering if he should go down to the kitchen when he heard the sound of several pairs of feet making their way up the staircase announcing the end of breakfast. A few minutes later Ron came in, smiling when he saw Harry up and looking much better.

'Hey, mate!' he said cheerfully, sitting down beside him, 'You should have seen it! Fred and George snuck some invention of their's into Percy's cereal and now his hairs turned totally purple and he hasn't noticed yet.'

Harry laughed. 'And your Mum didn't say anything?'

'She was too busy annoying Ginny; she keeps telling her she doesn't act 'lady-like' enough.'

The two friends laughed together; at that moment the clock struck ten and a letter fell out of nowhere and landed lazily onto Harry's lap, surprising both him and Ron. Harry looked up trying to figure out why he hadn't heard Hedwig come in. But then he remembered; Hedwig was perched up on top of Ron's wardrobe fast asleep; and there were no other owls in sight either. Harry looked at Ron, who was just as puzzled as he was, and then down at the letter in front of him. His name was written on the front in a handwriting he'd never seen before. Confused he picked it up, wondering if he should open it or not. For some reason though he felt a great urge to rip it open and he did so, gasping when he saw the name at the bottom.

'Who's it from?' Ron asked curiously.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from the name. 'My mum.' He heard Ron gasp too.

'You want me to leave?' he heard Ron say.

'Huh,' he grunted, looking up finally, 'Oh no, it's ok, I don't mind if you stay. You can read if you like.'

Turning back to the letter, Ron shifting to sit behind Harry on the bed so he could read over his shoulder.

They both began to read.

13th October, 1981

Dearest Harry,

If you are reading this it means that you're alive, thank the heavens, but also that me and James are dead. The two of us have known for months now that we were marked for death and we are well aware that there is only so much the wards on our house can do to keep us safe. Though it would lighten my heart to know that if me and James are eventually tracked down and killed; you had somehow survived. You are such a special little boy and I believe that you would escape, if the event should take place. As I write this I am watching you sleep in your cot; I love you so much my Dear but I am afraid, and angry at myself, to admit that I don't think I would ever tell you what I am about to in this letter if me and James were still alive. That is the purpose of this letter; it has been charmed so that it will only be sent to you if James and I die, a week before your fifteenth birthday and so that only you can open it; you will realise why in a moment. I am not sure as of where to begin so please forgive me if I seem too rash. You have my eyes but everything else about your appearance, people may have told you, clearly resembles your father. But actually, right now, it doesn't! You will most surely be shocked by what I'm about to tell you but you must know the truth. James Potter is not your father, though he did adopt you. I can only imagine how you're feeling right now but you must be patient, my Darling, I will explain everything. Your real father's name is Severus Snape and we had been together since our fifth year at Hogwarts. He was a spy for the light; not too long after we were married he was sent on an errand with other members of The Order of the Phoenix (you probably don't know what that is). Shortly before he left I discovered I was pregnant with you but your father had left before I got the chance to tell him. Many weeks later we received word that he had been killed during a battle between some Order members and the Death Eaters and I was left widowed and broke, unable to support my unborn child. For a poor and desperate Muggleborn like me, it was in my best interest to marry into a Pureblood family. James, who was an old friend of mine but never a lover at school took me in and we married a month later. Not long after that it became public that I was pregnant but the two of us never told anyone you were Severus' and pretended you were James'. When you were born James secretly adopted you; I assure you Harry that even though James was not your biological father he still loved you dearly like you really were his son. A few weeks after you were born your father returned and we were all surprised and overjoyed to have him return to us seeing as we'd all thought him dead. But things turned nasty after that when your father had found out that I'd married James and that I'd had you (he immediately presumed that you were James') and we haven't seen each other since. I've never gotten the opportunity to explain to him why I did what I did and I couldn't tell him he was your father because it would put both of you in danger. To explain your James-like appearance, the day you were born I cast a complex illusion spell on you to make you look like James but the spell does not last forever. That is why I have charmed this letter to not be sent until now, the spell only lasts for fifteen years and the moment you turn fifteen the illusion will breakdown all at once and you will look the way you're supposed to. Your father is a good man Harry; at this moment he is receiving a letter from me too, explaining everything. It is my dying wish that he seek you out and look after you so the two of you can become what I've always wanted the three of us to be, a family. You're probably still shocked by all this; but if all goes well you can expect your father to be arriving sometime this week to come see you. I love you, my Harry, and I always will and my only other regret is that I never got the chance to see you grow up into the great young man I know you'll be.

Love always,

Your mother,

Lily.

Harry and Ron sat silently; both absolutely stunned and overwhelmed; neither knowing what to say. Ron looked at Harry who was still starring down at the frightening letter; looking so pale Ron was scared he was going to pass out.

This had to be some kind of terrible prank; but who would make a joke about something like this? Ron didn't think that even Fred and George would stoop this low. He got off the bed and turned so he could look at Harry properly.

Harry sure was in an erratic state. It was impossible to read his face but if Ron had to make a wild guess he'd say it was a mixture of shock, anger and distress all in one. He hadn't taken his eyes off the letter and Ron could see he was reading it through again, as if to make sure he'd read it right. 'Harry.'

No response.

'Harry,' he said again, waving his hands in front of the black haired boy's face.

Still no response.

'Harry,' Ron repeated a little more urgently, snapping his fingers to try and get Harry's attention but the boy wasn't even blinking.

_Oh this is getting ridiculous…_

'HARRY!' he screamed in his friend's ear. Finally he seemed to come back to the present, looking at Ron stunned; as if he'd only just remembered he was there.

'Oh my god,' he whispered.

Ron wasn't sure what to say. 'It could just be a prank,' he suggested, even though he'd just cancelled out that possibility in his mind.

'You think so?' Harry looked at him hopefully.

But Ron couldn't lie to him; that would be a bad idea. 'No, not really. I don't think anyone would stoop that low.'

Harry nodded simply; having lost his voice. Standing up he walked to the window; the aged parchment still held firmly in his hands. Everything was a blur. He couldn't think; he didn't know what to think or feel or say. _This is all just too confusing. _He had to admit it did make a lot of sense and he wasn't sure how, but he could tell it really was his Mum who had written the letter. It couldn't have been a fake. But since he'd decided that the letter was authentic and that the knowledge it inscribed was true; he would now have to decide what he was going to do about it.

'Do you think he'll come?' asked Ron, immediately regretting it when he realised what a stupid question it had been.

Harry looked down at the apparation point on the Weasley's front lawn and imagined Snape appearing there and walking towards the house right now. He half hoped he would, half hoped he wouldn't. It didn't matter how he felt about this whole situation; Snape would be the one to make the choice. The man…his…his father…would have a week to come talk to him before his birthday; before he changed. It won't be hard to locate him. It was a well known fact that Harry spent almost every summer at the Weasley's. But he couldn't help but ponder on the same question as Ron: Will he come? Would Snape really come and talk to him or would he just continue to hate him and act completely ignorant to their relation.

'No, he won't come,' he said, turning to face Ron, 'And why should he?'

'Well,' began Ron, he knew he was on dangerous ground; say one thing the wrong way and Harry would go off, 'because he's your dad.'

Harry looked as if Ron had just hit him; Ron realised how much it must have hurt him to hear it said out loud. He felt terrible now. _Why do I always say the wrong things?_

'He's hated me since the moment he layed eyes on me, so why should 'this' change anything?'

''Cause 'this' is a pretty huge thing.' _Damn, I did it again._

Harry want to yell at Ron and tell him to get the 'fuck' out for his big mouth but then thought better of it. One, he couldn't kick Ron out of his own room and two, Ron was obviously trying his best to help. In a way, Ron's thoughtless babble was helping him; it was giving him the facts, not the 'what ifs' and 'maybe's'. He knew he wasn't really angry at Ron; just frustrated at the letter and it's consequences. The information in this letter in the hands of a Death Eater would be deadly for him or Sna…his father…who of course had been spying on them for almost sixteen years now. The fact that Harry Potter had a father would have to be kept very quiet indeed as long as this war lasted. Harry guessed he should tell Dumbledore about this, he would know what to do; but besides the headmaster, Ron and perhaps Hermione no one could know about the close connection between him and Snape.

'We can't tell anyone about this, Ron,' he whispered, 'I'm going to tell Dumbledore and probably Hermione when we see her, but no one else can know about it.'

Ron nodded in agreement, eager to make up for earlier. 'Of course, but what are you going to tell everyone when you've…you know…changed?'

'I guess we better let your Mum and Dad in on it, they'd figure it out eventually anyway.' He turned back to look out the window.

Ron came and stood beside him. 'Sooner or later they'll _all_ know.' Harry knew he wasn't just referring to the occupants of The Burrow but also to the entire wizarding world and Harry was sure he was right. Soon as someone let the secret slip then everyone would know; it would be on the front page of The Daily Prophet. He could almost see the main heading now, 'Harry Potter not a Potter!'

'I'd prefer it were later than sooner,' Harry replied grimly. They stood side by side; Harry watching the gnomes running between the flowers and Ron watching Harry. Even now, his friend still held the letter in his hands but now, the hands were shaking violently threatening to rip the note to shreds. Harry's whole body was shaking but not from cold; Ron knew better than that. Ron could see he was very distressed; he put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Glancing at the clock he was shocked that he and Harry had been in his room longer than he realised and soon his Mum would be calling them down for lunch.

'We better go, mate,' he said, 'Mum will come up and hunt us down if we don't go downstairs to lunch.' He started towards the door hoping that Harry would follow him. No such luck!

"Harry, I'm sure it'll work out.'

'Yeh…I guess I got it easy…you know…he's the one who'll have to decide what to do about it…either he'll come or he won't…and I'll know how he feels…if he wants anything to do with me.'

'I think he'll come,' Ron whispered.

Harry left the window to join him. 'And why is that?'

'Hello! You're Harry Potter! Anyone would love for you to be their son!' he said, hoping it was funny. Still no luck.

'Everyone besides him' Harry grumbled.

Ron sighed. 'I guess we'll just have to wait it out.'

'I'm scared, Ron,' Harry whispered even quieter.

'Yeah, I'd be scared too if I found out Snape was my dad.' Finally Harry smiled and neither of them could stop laughing the whole way down the stairway. The rest of the Weasley's looked at them curiously as they took their seats at the table still chuckling quietly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Five**

**The Change**

The following days at The Burrow were some of the best Harry had had in a long time. Mrs Weasley had eventually gotten him to start eating again and he was no longer sickly thin but that still didn't stop him from getting sick later on which would lead to him dashing for the bathroom every now and then before any of the Weasley's could see him vomiting everywhere. Everyday he, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny would go up to the Weasley's private field out the back and play Quidditch for hours. Percy refused to join them and not even speaking to the twins as the purple dye in his hair still hadn't come out no matter what he or Mrs Weasley tried.

Some days Ron and the twins would take Harry into town and they'd go around to all the small shops and Harry would tell them all about the Muggle knick-knacks on the shelves. Harry was always really nervous when they went into town, though he tried not to show it. He was frightened his uncle would come out of nowhere and start hitting him again. Even worse, he jumped at any loud noises and he couldn't help but flinch whenever someone touched him. He tried not to because he knew it worried Mr and Mrs Weasley when he did but he just wasn't completely comfortable with anyone too close to him; besides Ron and Ginny.

He and Ginny were becoming very close. For some reason he and the red-haired girl got along surprisingly well and he loved spending time with her. When there was nothing to do, they would go on long walks through the Weasley's vast property; just the two of them. They would talk for hours about nothing in particular, hiking through the beautiful countryside, listening to the bird as they flew by. She wasn't like the others; always trying to get him to tell them what happened at the Dursley's. She didn't hassle him about it at all, it was almost like she knew anyway; all she said was that she understood and that she'd be there for him if he needed to talk about it.

Harry really enjoyed his time with Ginny. Being with her was the only thing that got his mind off the horrors of the Dursleys and the possible arrival of his father completely. No matter what he was doing at The Burrow, Harry could never stop thinking about the letter; and he and Ron were always on the look out for Snape. But when he was with Ginny he was completely focused on her and everything else left his mind. Everything about her was perfect; her gorgeous brown eyes; her loving personality and that flowing, beautiful red hair. It wasn't until Harry's fourth night at The Burrow, lying in his bed in the attic with Ron that he realised that he was falling in love with her.

There were always chores to do at the Weasley's house and Harry was more than happy to help around; anything to get his mind off the other things going on in his head. He would help de-gnome the garden, clean out the broom shed and Mr Weasleys disastrous garage; and do other everyday housework.

One day found him and the Weasley boys helping Mrs Weasley weed the garden by hand. By evening Ron, Fred and George were all complaining that their backs were hurting them and begging their mum to let them stop while Harry laughed at them; still working at his corner of the garden. Soon the three brothers had run for the house unable to endure the torture anymore. Harry, not wanting to go back into the house just yet, kept working at his patch with Mrs Weasley not too far away.

It had been a week now and still Snape hadn't shown up. Tonight at midnight Harry would transform into the image of what he was supposed to be. But he didn't want to think about that right now; there was no use in fretting over something that had to happen. At least he knew now how Snape felt about the whole situation; he obviously didn't want anything to do with him. But why was he so down about it? How could he have thought it would have been any different? Had he actually been hoping that Snape would show up?

_Yes, I guess I had_, he admitted to himself.

But it had just been wishful thinking. He'd tricked himself into thinking that maybe there was still a chance for him to have someone who really cared about it him. Someone not like the Dursleys.

But he still had Sirius, even though he hardly ever saw him. Snape could go to hell! Harry didn't need him!

_You don't mean that. He's your father after all._

But he hates me! He always has. I'll just be fooling myself if I keep hoping he'll come.

_Don't give up! People change!_

Maybe.

'You finished, Harry dear?' he heard a voice as he finished and he spun around to see Mrs Weasley behind him, 'If you are, we could go inside and I could make you a sandwich.'

'Thanks, Mrs Weasley,' he said, he got up brushing his dirty hands on his jeans.

Mrs Weasley smiled fondly at him; he sure was a good boy. She waited for him to join her and then they headed up to the house together.

'Harry, it is your birthday tomorrow, I was wondering what you wanted to do for your party.'

'Oh!' he said, not smiling anymore and Molly wondered if she'd said anything wrong. 'It's ok, Mrs Weasley, really. I don't think I'll be in much mood to celebrate anyway, it doesn't really worry me. I'd never even had a party before I came to The Burrow; I don't need a party. Just being here is the best present I could ask for.'

Mrs Weasley pulled him into a big huge. 'You are so sweet!'

'Oh, and Mrs Weasley; I was hoping I could talk to you and Mr Weasley sometime tonight, if that was ok with you two.'

'Of course, dearie.' she said, looking a little confused, 'But what about?'

'Nothing to worry about. Just something I need to tell you.'

'I'm gonna get you, you little rat!'

'You'll wish you hadn't done that when we're finished with you!'

Harry jumped again when he heard the shouting from above as he headed up to Ron's room, almost falling down the stairs. There was more shouting and a loud crashing noise; when Ginny came running out of Fred and George's room, racing down the stairs towards him.

'Hi Harry,' she squealed as she stopped in front of him catching her breath. He was about to ask her what was going on when she turned to his right and squeezed into the cloak closet. 'Harry,' she whispered just before she closed the door behind her, 'don't tell Fred and George I'm in here.'

'What?'

'Please!' And she shut the door quietly.

Then he heard more running and he tensed again; all these loud sounds where making him nervous. The twins came tearing down the stairs absolutely fuming and to Harry's surprise; completely covered head to toe in green goo.

'Oi!' Harry winced again. 'Did you see where Ginny went?'

'Huh…'

'Ginny! Where'd she go?'

'Oh! Yeah, she was here. She ran down and out the back, I think I saw her head out to the broom shed. What happened?'

'She threw our Gunkballs at us. OUR GUNKBALLS! She used our own invention against us! The shame,' explained George.

'But we'll get her; this is war!' Fred declared dramatically and soon they were both down the rest of the stairs and out the back.

'Genius!' he said out loud, so Ginny could hear him. 'They're gone now.'

The door opened and the red-haired girl came out, her cheeks rosy and her hair all messy, but still gorgeous. 'Thanks, Harry.'

Before he could react; she leaned up and kissed him softly on the lips, sending shivered down his spine. For a second he was caught of guard but then he started kissing her back, enjoying the feeling of her lips against his. After what could have been years later they pulled apart; starring into each other's eyes.

'Not bad, Harry,' she teased him. She ran back up to her room, giving him a wink before she closed the door behind her; leaving a very dazed Harry in the hallway.

Mr and Mrs Weasley sat nervously in their living room that night, waiting for Harry to come downstairs. Both of them were wondering what the young man could possibly want to talk to them about that had to be said in private. He certainly hadn't given anything away to give either of them any hint, just said that he need to tell them something. Perhaps there was something else he needed to tell them about his relatives or what had happened in the graveyard in May. Whatever it was they were both determined to be as helpful as they could. Mr Weasley looked down at his watch which read it was nearly eleven; Harry had insisted that they wait until everyone else was asleep so they couldn't be overheard.

Soon Harry came down, a piece of parchment in his hand, with Ron close behind him. Both of them looked a little uncomfortably but Harry's face showed a bit of determination whilst Ron's showed worry, for Harry, the couple soon realised. They had been about to tell Ron to go back upstairs so they could talk to Harry; but when he sat down on the couch next to the dark-haired boy and Harry didn't protest, they guessed Ron was allowed to be there.

Harry stared at them a little while, gathering his thoughts, and then with an encouraging nod from Ron he started speaking.

'I need to tell you something but what I am about to say cannot be repeated to anyone. It would be very dangerous if anyone found out but I needed to tell you so when it happens you won't freak out.'

'Oh course we will keep it secret, Harry,' said Mr Weasley, even more confused.

'What's going to happen, Harry dearie?'

Harry took a deep breath; holding up the folded parchment. 'A week ago I got this letter, it's from my mother. She'd charmed it so that it wouldn't be sent to me until now and so only I could open it,' he said, Arthur and Molly looked at each other still confused. 'It's authentic; it has her signature. To sum it all up…she told me that James Potter isn't my father.'

There was a startling silence. Mr and Mrs Weasley were speechless.

'But then who is?' They both asked at the same time.

Another deep breath from Harry. Whispering so only the four of them could hear, 'Severus Snape.'

Mr Weasley was the first to speak after a long silence. 'Oh, well I guess would make sense. Lily and Severus were married for a while but that was a long time ago, before either of you were born. But, forgive me Harry, it's a little hard to believe that Severus is your father when you look so much like James. Anyone can see you look like James.'

'That's why the letter has been sent to me now. When I was born my mother put a spell on me so I'd look like James, to protect me. But it doesn't last forever. The moment I turn fifteen the spell will stop working and I'll look like…like my father…the way I'm supposed to look.'

Arthur thought about this a bit. 'So you'll change to your true appearance at midnight, in a little less than an hour.'

'Yes,' he said, clearly upset, averting his gaze to his lap.

'Oh Harry, what's wrong?' cooed Mrs Weasley as she ran over to him.

When Harry failed to say anything, Ron explained for him. 'Snape knows, Harry's mum sent him a letter too. The letter said that he'd come sometime this week to talk to Harry but he never showed up,' he said, 'Harry thinks Snape doesn't want anything to do with him.'

'Harry,' she whispered, pulling him into a hug, 'he's probably just still shocked.'

'It doesn't matter, he's not coming,' he murmured, pulling away, 'and I don't want him to.'

'Two minutes to midnight,' said Mr Weasley, looking at his watch for the millionth time that hour. Mrs Weasley came in with four mugs of hot chocolate. Only Mr Weasley excepted his; the two teenager refusing theirs. Ron was kneeling in front of Harry, whispering to him comfortingly, managing to get a small smile out of him every now and then. Harry was as pale as a snowman and hadn't said anything for the last half hour. His hands were shivering and Ron held them in his, trying to warm them; he was going to be there for his mate no matter what. Arthur looked at his youngest son, proud of how much he'd matured lately, amazed at how calm he was managing to keep poor Harry. He looked at his watch again. 'One minute,' he said. Harry closed his eyes as if to brace himself for what was coming and Ron squeezed his hands tighter in his; Harry squeezing back gratefully.

'Do you think it'll hurt?' Harry whispered to him, his eyes still closed. They had been talking in hushed whispered for ages now for no particular reason.

'No!' said Ron a little too forced.

'I'm not scared! I was just wondering! Oh Merlin, just keep talking to me, ok.'

'Oh…well…I don't know. I bet Hermione would know though.'

Harry smiled and nodded.

'Hey, we can scare everyone when they wake up. They'll shit themselves when they see you.' His friend made a weird sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

'Will you hate me when you see me?' he asked him.

'What! No, of course I won't! You'll still be Harry. I'm here for you no matter what happens. Best mates forever, right?'

'Right!'

And then it happened. Harry suddenly felt like he was going to throw up and his whole body started to sting like a thousand tiny needles were piercing him all over. The room started spinning and Ron's face blurred. He buried his face in his lap, panting heavily. He felt someone patting his back and could hear voices but he couldn't understand what any of them were saying. He could feel his face changing and his arms and legs were stretching and his hair was getting longer. And then it was over as quickly as it had come.

Still keeping his head down, he removed his hands from his face and opened his eyes, panicking when he realised his vision was still blurry. _The transformation has damaged my eyes more! _But then another thought hit him. His longer hair hide his face from view to the other three and they still didn't get a glimpse of him when he removed his glasses and threw them to the floor. Immediately his sight righted itself and he could see perfectly fine without the glasses. His mum had been very clever indeed, she'd even given him James' terrible eyesight.

'Harry…' he heard Ron say, and he slowly looked up so the three Weasleys could see his face.

Ron and his parents all gasped when they saw Harry's face. His hair was even darker and slightly longer but still as messy; his fringe completely hiding his scar. His face was thinner; his cheekbones set higher making him look older and his eyebrow were finer and better shaped. He still had his mum's green eyes but he also had her ears, nose and chin and these features stood out more now that James' characteristics had been striped from his face. The gash he'd had on his cheek was obviously still there as well. He looked like Snape; but he was his mother's son for sure.

'How do you feel, mate?'

'Ok,' Harry replied running a hand over his face and Ron was relieved to hear Harry's voice hadn't changed.

'Do you want to see yourself, Harry?' Mrs Weasley asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Harry nodded. He had to see what he looked like; he had to see what was so interesting that everyone else in the room was staring at him. Mr Weasley conjured a small mirror out of nowhere and gave it to him. He gasped when he saw himself and he had to touch his face again to make sure it was himself he was looking at.

He was snapped out of his trance when Mr Weasley suggested he and Ron go up to bed. Putting the mirror aside he stood up, surprising Ron and himself when he realised he'd grown in height as well. He was now eye to eye with Ron, who had always been a head taller than him before. They went upstairs, neither of them saying goodnight to Mr and Mrs Weasley. They were both so drained by the day's event that they didn't even hear someone knocking at the front door as they headed up to Ron's room.

'…but she isn't telling us anything.'

'What are you talking about? Surely a few Cruciatus would have loosened her tongue.'

'No, it hasn't. She is just as stubborn and stupid as the blasted boy.'

Draco pushed his ear harder into the door, straining to hear what his father and Aunt Bellatrix were saying. He had been eavesdropping on their conversation for ten minutes now, trying to figure out the mysterious identity of the new prisoner his father had brought in two weeks ago. All he'd been able to comprehend so far was the hostage was female, not very old and the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wanted information from her. Perhaps she was a member of the Order the Death Eaters had captured.

Whoever she was, she'd had his horrid father on edge for days now and Draco almost admired her courage. He would never be able to stand up to his father like that; he was absolutely terrified by the man. So terrified he was on the verge of running away before his father got the chance to beat him again for screwing up something or not coming top of his year last term at Hogwarts. He was still hurting where his father had stricken him across the back with his cane on Wednesday when he'd been in a particularly foul mood.

'Well you're obviously not trying hard enough, you fool! Why don't you let me…

'No, Bellatrix! You would probably kill the Mudblood…not that I'd complain. But the Dark Lord wants her kept alive, we may be able to use her for bait later on.'

'But the Dark Lord is also growing impatient. If we don't get her talking now, the whole Malfoy Manor will pay for it. It was your suggestion we take bloody Granger in the first place.'

Draco froze by the door. He had just been about to give up and sneak back to his room when he'd heard his aunt mention Granger's name. Hermione Granger was his father's mysterious prisoner. But why had his father brought her here? And of all people? Why did it have to be Granger?

'She is one of Potter's closest friends, so who better to get information from about him then her? We could not take the Weasley boy, he is too well protected with his blood-traitor family. Granger was our best option.'

'The little brat may have been the easiest picking but she is also the hardest to crack. Top of the year I heard, it's disgusting! What is this world coming to? Next thing you know the next minister will be a mudblood!'

'Control yourself, Bellatrix. Give me another week and I'll have her broken. Granger cannot evade me forever.'

Suddenly the door swung forward and Draco almost stumbled forward right into his father. Lucius looked furious and all Draco could do was stand there, cowering up at him. He knew he was in for it now.

'Draco! Where you eavesdropping on our conversation?'

'N-no…

'You were! You little liar! I thought I told you to remain in your room!'

'I'm s-s-sorry.'

Lucius Malfoy slammed the door angrily behind him, leaving his sister-in-law Bellatrix Lestrange by herself in the luxurious, marble kitchen. He raised the cane in his hand furiously and brought it down on his son's shoulder causing the boy to cry out and crumble to the carpeted floor. 'You will be,' he snarled.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Six**

**The Father **

Molly was taking another sip of her hot chocolate when she heard someone knocking at the door. Her husband got up immediately, to see whoever it was; possibly one of the Order members.

She wondered why anyone would be calling at this hour of the night. Her head was still buzzing with the nights events; Ron and Harry had just gone upstairs. She could faintly hear the door opening, Arthur letting the person in and soon they were exchanging some hushed words. A moment later Arthur came in but with no guest and Molly was confused until she saw the look on his face.

'Molly, he's here. He wants to talk to Harry,' he told her. Arthur was sure she knew exactly who _he _was but he wasn't sure how she was going to react.

'Surely he can't expect Harry to come down and talk to him so early in the morning; he's exhausted. Tell him to come back some other time.'

'I can't stop him from seeing his son, Molly, and I think Harry should at least know that he's here. Can you please go upstairs to tell him and to wait here in the living room if he wants.'

She sighed; standing up to leave. 'I guess so. I just hate bringing him back down just after we sent him up. The poor thing.'

Arthur thanked his wife gratefully and then went back to the kitchen where none other than Severus Snape was waiting for him.

'Have a seat, Severus,' he said to him politely; setting himself down in a chair opposite the tall man. He was feeling everything but polite at the moment but Arthur did his best to act welcome. He didn't want to get on the wrong side of Snape straight away. Severus was in his usual bitter mood though and he did not take Arthur's offer to sit down.

'I'm afraid I don't have the time for pleasant chitter-chatter, Arthur,' he muttered sarcastically, 'I already told you I need to speak to Potter and then I won't stay…

'Harry!' Arthur corrected him, knowing he was interrupting quite rudely but didn't really care. 'Your son's name is Harry!'

Snape looked taken aback but immediately recovered from his shock turning back to his usual mutual expression. 'How do you know about that?' he demanded.

'Well, Harry kind of had to tell us before he 'changed'. Otherwise his sudden change in appearance would have been quite confusing, wouldn't you think? And we were bound to find out eventually anyway, Severus. It happened just a few minutes ago actually…he was very distressed; very scared. He couldn't understand why you haven't come to see him. Very disappointed he was. Why haven't you come until now, Severus?'

'I don't have to answer for myself, least of all to you,' he barked back, not appreciating being pestered by Arthur. 'Now where is he?'

'Molly's going up to get him now.'

'What are we going to tell the others in the morning? What are we going to do when we're back at school?'

'I don't know, Ron,' Harry replied dolefully, looking at himself in the mirror again; his fringe was annoying him.

'You know…I don't think it looks that bad!'

'You think so?'

'Yeah, you look like your mum now.'

'But I also look like…

'Snape? Not so much. You look more like your mum.'

Harry starred at his reflection again and not focusing on all his Snape features, realised Ron was right. His eyes were greener than ever; standing out more now that they weren't secured behind his glasses; and if he wasn't mistaken he also had his mum's nose, small chin and pointed ears. He was sure he had her hands too.

There was a knock at the door and Mrs Weasley came in. 'Harry.' She said, looking strangely uncomfortable. 'He's here.'

'Who's here?' asked Ron, clearly puzzled. But Harry knew what she meant and got up straight away. Suddenly Ron understood the situation.

'But Mum, he can't seriously expect him to…

'It's ok, Ron,' Harry assured him. 'I'll be back soon,' and he followed Mrs Weasley silently back downstairs.

'What is he doing here anyway, Arthur?' Severus asked. 'Dumbledore wouldn't tell me.'

'It's not safe for him to stay at his relative's anymore, Severus,' Arthur told him, knowing that this subject was going to come up sooner or later.

'And why would that be?' he asked impatiently.

'Because his aunt and uncle had been starving and beating him the whole time he'd been there,' said Arthur gravely.

'What!' He hadn't been expecting that answer. 'Why hadn't something been done until now?'

'Harry didn't tell us anything in any of his letters he'd sent. It wasn't until only a little over a week ago he finally sent for help. He was almost dead when I got there.'

'Foolish child,' Severus growled under his breath. How could this have happened? Why was the boy so arrogant?

'He wasn't being foolish,' said Arthur, angered by the man's reactions, 'he was scared and he still is. He jumps whenever someone shouts and he's uncomfortable with anyone touching him. He tries to hide it but I can see that he's still very upset and he's keeping all his feelings locked away inside of him. He won't confide in anyone except Ron, I don't think he trusts anyone else enough to talk to them. But Ron can't give him the help that he really needs; all he can do is listen to him and be the best friend he can be. We're all really worried about him, Severus. We're scared he'll do something dangerous if he doesn't get better soon.

Severus shook his head sadly, unable to believe what he was hearing. Why hadn't he come earlier? He should have come to talk to him; he should have been here for him. He hadn't even seen the boy yet and he'd already messed up. He averted his gaze to the floor, not wanting Arthur to see how distressed he was, how angry he was at the Dursleys; and himself.

'He has no one else, Severus.'

'Can I see him now…please?' he said, still staring at his feet.

'Of course.' Arthur stood up and directed him to the door on his left. 'He's in the living room.'

He couldn't explain what he feeling when he stepped into the living room and saw Harry sitting in a chair; staring at the carpet determinedly. He guessed he felt nervous and a little tense, which wasn't normal for him. The boy still didn't look up when he took the seat opposite him and didn't utter a word either. Severus couldn't see his face; it was hidden from view by his jet black hair which was considerably longer from when he'd last seen him. He wasn't sure what to do and he didn't like that at all. He was usually in control of situations but for once he was utterly lost as to what to do. And all the while Harry just sat there waiting for him to say something. Then when Severus thought he couldn't stand the silence any longer, the boy spoke.

'You came,' he muttered, still keeping his gaze eluded.

'I should have come sooner,' said Severus, 'I am sorry.'

'I don't care…you came…' His voice broke and he had to stop himself to gain control again.

Severus shifted forward in his seat so he was closer to the boy. 'Let me see your face.' He placed a hand under Harry's chin and drew his face up so he could look at him.

What he saw made him gasp; before him was what appeared to be a completely different boy to the one he'd known for the last four year. Lily had done too good a job in disguising him; she had hidden all her aspects of the boy as well as his; and now they stood out patently. Those eyes were greener than ever; eerie and enchanting, no longer hiding behind the round glasses. He had her ears, her nose, her chin; he even had her small hands with her long fingers. He could see himself in Harry as well. Harry's hair was longer now like his but still as tangled and wild as ever. They had the same eyebrows and Harry cheekbones had been rose higher which made him look older than he really was. It would have been perfect if it weren't for the anger scar that was branded across his right cheek. Severus guessed that he'd gotten that from his uncle and he felt fury well up inside of him again.

His feeling must have shown on his face because Harry was suddenly looking worriedly at him with his watery eyes. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing,' he whispered, still observing him. 'You look like Lily,' he added.

'What was she like?' Harry asked him; the tears threatening to overflow.

'She was…' Severus didn't know how to describe her, he looked out the window into the garden; searching for inspiration, 'she was the most amazing women. She was so talented, so miraculous and…so, so beautiful. She always lit up the room; she alway knew how to make you smile. She was the world to me…' He looked back at Harry. The boy was holding onto every word as if he'd been waiting years to hear this. 'Sometimes I wonder how I could have ever thought such terrible thing about her.'

'But that is what you thought…' mumbled Harry, the tears finally spilling out.

Severus nodded miserably. 'No one has ever been more wrongly accused ever. The things I said to her…,'he took in a shaky breath, forcing himself to finish, 'I wish I could take it all back.'

'Did you love her?' Harry knew he was getting very personal, but he had to know.

Severus looked him in the eye. 'I still do.' That was all the answer Harry needed.

'What are we going to do?' Harry asked him, breaking a long silence.

Severus considered him, feeling drained by their conversation. 'It's too risky for you to stay here anymore.' Harry nodded in understanding, he'd been expecting this to happen. 'I've spoken to Dumbledore, he thinks it would be better if you went somewhere we have guaranteed secrecy. If this gets out to the public, the consequences could be deadly; as I'm sure you've realised.' Harry nodded again. 'We need to get you somewhere secure while we decide what to do before term begins.'

'So we're leaving?'

'Yes,' said Severus, amazed at how well he was taking this, 'immediately.'

'Ok.'

'I need you to go pack while I talk to Mr Weasley. Be down and ready to leave in fifteen minutes. Understand?'

'Yes,' whispered Harry, immediately getting up and heading for the stairs. Severus got up too, but was stopped when Harry spoke again. 'Is that why you hate me? Because you thought Mum had left you for James?'

Severus didn't know how to reply. Yes, that was why he'd hated Harry but things were different now. Now he knew the truth. 'I don't hate you, Harry,' he said and then went back into the kitchen.

Harry stood shocked at the foot of the stairs; absentmindedly he wiped away the tears on his face. Snape had called him Harry! What did this mean? Did Snape want to try? Did he want to be his father after all? He hadn't actually said so, all he'd done was tell him he looked like Lily and that he would be leaving The Burrow with him tonight. But there was definitely something there. His father didn't hate him! That had to count for something!

He headed up the stairs, treading quietly so as not to wake anyone else in the house. When he'd finally got to the attic he edged himself through the door and closed it gently behind him. He was startled when he saw Ron right behind him, still awake.

'Are you ok?' Ron asked him straight away.

'Yeah,' he whispered, sure that Ron didn't believe him though. 'I'm leaving.'

'What! Why?' shouted Ron, suddenly very angry, 'Is he making you? Why would he do that…

'Shhh!' Harry threw a hand to Ron's mouth. 'You'll wake everyone up.'

When it looked safe again, he slowly removed his palm from Ron's mouth who still looked upset. 'But you can't go Harry, I…

'I have to, Ron. There'll be other lives in danger as well as mine if I stay here. No one's forcing me. Snape said Dumbledore has organised something; he knows. We need to figure out what to do before school.' But this didn't seem to help, so he went on. 'I don't want to go, Ron, but I couldn't stand it if something happened to any of you. I'm sure it won't be temporary; we'll see each other before school. But I have to go Ron…I just have to…this is my chance…'

Ron interrupted him. 'I know,' his friend said, 'I just don't trust him that's all.'

'Neither do I,' Harry admitted, 'but I guess I can't be too picky at the moment. I'll just have to go with it and see what happens.'

'What did he say?'

Harry thought about it for a little; he didn't want to tell anyone about his conversation with Snape, so he decided to keep it blunt. 'He told me I look like my mum.'

Ron nodded, realising this was a sensitive topic. He changed the subject. 'You have to leave now, don't you?'

'Yeah.'

'I'll help you pack then.'

Ten minutes later, Harry and Ron came down the stairs with Harry's trunk, broomstick and a grumpy Hedwig in her cage. Mr Weasley, Mrs Weasley and Snape where waiting for them in the kitchen. Ron still felt nervous when he saw his potions master in his house even though he'd prepared himself for the encounter. He looked as irritable and bitter as ever and Ron felt an urge to grab Harry and tell him he was insane for wanting to leave with this man. But he knew Harry wouldn't stay even if he begged him; this was his chance to have a father, even if it was Snape, and Ron couldn't take that away from him.

'Ready?' Snape asked Harry. Harry told him he was. 'Let's go then.' With one last nod to Arthur and Molly, he left out the kitchen door; waiting for Harry to join him.

Harry turned to Mrs Weasley, who immediately embraced him. 'Thank you for having me, Mrs Weasley' he said, sorry he had to go so soon.

'It's our pleasure dear, we only wish you could stay longer.' She held him at arms length, 'You really do look like Lily…I hope everything works out, Harry.'

'Thanks Mrs Weasley.'

He shook hands with Mr Weasley. 'Thanks for everything Mr Weasley, you saved my life.'

The man smiled at him kindly, 'We all love you, Harry, remember that. You'll always have a home with us here.'

Harry whispered his thanks, deeply touched. He turned to the door, where Ron stood waiting for him with his belongings. He walked up to his friend, thinking for a second that he wasn't going to let him leave but then Ron pulled him into a brotherly hug. Harry hugged him back. He was so grateful to Ron for being there for him the past week, with the letter and the Dursleys. He didn't know how he was going to cope without him.

'You have your dad to look after you now,' Ron whispered in his ear so only they could hear.

'I thought you didn't like him,' Harry murmured back.

'He'll keep you safe, he'll look after you,' said Ron, hating to admit it. Hating all of this.

'You think so?'

They pulled out of the hug. 'He better! Or else!' They laughed, but deep down Ron had been dead serious; though he didn't tell Harry. If Snape hurt his best friend than Ron would hit him, regardless of the consequences.

'Don't do anything stupid,' he joked.

Harry grinned again. 'Yeah, you too.'

He took one last look at the house and them left with his luggage and Hedwig. He felt bad about leaving so quickly and so suddenly. He wished he could have said goodbye to the others before he left; especially Ginny, but it had to be this way. Snape was waiting at the apparation point. He didn't look back as he made his way over to his father. He couldn't read the look on the man's face, but it certainly wasn't hate, scorn or loathing.

'Give me your trunk and broom,' he said.

Harry handed them over and Snape shrunk them down and put them in his pocket. 'We'll be apparating to our destination, hold onto your owl' he said.

'Her name's Hedwig,' he replied without thinking; sure that Snape wouldn't really care.

To his surprise, Snape opened Hedwig's cage and held his arm out for her, letting her hop onto his shoulder, 'Hello Hedwig,' he said. He started whispering to her and then she took off, into the trees and out of sight. 'She'll be flying there, I don't think she'll like apparating too much…she's a very smart owl. Where did you get her?'

'Hagrid gave her to me for my eleventh birthday,' Harry told him.

'We must be going or we'll be late, hold my arm.'

Harry did as he was instructed, hoping apparating wasn't as terrible as he'd heard it was. 'Sir, where exactly are we going?'

Snape smiled down at him…actually smiled. 'To Hogwarts of course.'

Apparating was far worse than Harry had ever imagined it to be. He felt like he was being pressed through a tight tube and like hot rubber bands were fastening tenaciously around him. He couldn't breath, he couldn't move. All he could do was hold on to Snape's arm firmly, praying this horrible experience would be over soon. Next thing he knew, it was over. Opening his eyes, he was taken aback by their surrounding. They weren't at Hogwarts, they were at Kings Cross Station.

'I thought we were going to Hogwarts,' he said to Snape, realising he was still holding his arm and immediately letting go.

'We are but we can't apparating even to Hogsmeade anymore, new wards have been put up. If you tried to apparate there you'd find yourself in the middle of nowhere, miles away from Hogwarts. The only way to get there is…

'By the train,' Harry finished.

'Or by the floo network through Dumbledore's office or mine, but it's been restricted so no one can get through most of the day and so no enemies can pass through,' Severus added grimly, as they set off towards platforms nine and ten. They went in silence, side by side. There was hardly anyone else here at this time of the morning and the station was unusually quiet. 'Don't react, just keep walking,' he whispered to Harry, 'We're being watched, don't say or do anything unnecessary.' Thankfully the boy had more sense then to reply and only gave him the slightest nod in response.

They reached platforms nine and ten and slipped through the barrier together onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The train with its big red engine was waiting for them; smoke billowing out of it spout. There was no one else around. Harry hoped that whoever had been watching them wouldn't follow them through to the hidden platform. The engine was already going and Harry was sure they only had a few minutes left to board.

'Come on,' said Severus, 'The train leaves in a minute.'


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Seven**

**The Choice**

Snape already had their tickets, he must have known that Harry would agree to go with him. But then again, Harry couldn't help but think the man would have dragged him here if he'd refused anyway. They went on board and took a compartment near the back. Snape restored his belongings to their original size and then left, saying he had to talk to the driver.

A second later the train began to move and Harry gazed out the window as it pulled out of Kings Cross and into the country fields. It was still dark outside and Harry was reminded that he hadn't slept at all that night. What a day it had been! He'd had a five hour Quidditch match with Fred, George and Ron; had his first kiss with Ginny, his appearance had changed completely and now he was on the Hogwarts Express with _his father!_

Unsuccessfully, he tried to stifle a yawn and he realised just how tired he really was. Hoping Snape…his father…wouldn't mind, he spread himself out on his bench; taking his jumper off to use as a pillow. He was fast asleep before Snape came back.

Severus almost smiled when he found the boy sleeping on the bench. He must have dozed off as they left the station because he hadn't been gone that long. He'd actually wanted to talk to him but when he tried to wake him and didn't get a response he decided to wait till he woke up.

_He must be really tired…_

He conjured a quilt out of nowhere and draped it over Harry, hoping it would keep him warm. He observed him for a moment, tracing the ripping scar on his cheek and then the lightning bolt on his forehead and sat on the bench opposite the boy.

What was happening to him? Had the boy grown on him that quickly?

He couldn't believe how protective he was feeling towards Harry already. He couldn't help it; he had to look after Lily's son; their son. When he'd received the letter, after getting over the shock, he'd been thrilled about what Lily had told him. He and Lily had a son! He could never say those words enough times in his head.

_Lily and I have a son; Harry._

It was like having her back again, as if she'd been reborn in Harry. She wasn't totally gone; a part of her was still here…fast asleep in front of him. But how could he tell the boy how much he cared about him? Would Harry even want anything to do with him after he'd been so cruel to him for the last four years? No, he couldn't give up. He had to reach out to Harry somehow. Had to make Harry except him. Let him see he'd changed. He wasn't going to lose someone he cared about again.

_Cedric…dead…need to help him but being dragged away…scar hurting…badly…Cedric dead…all my fault, my fault…a gravestone…tied up…scar still hurts…pain all over…want to die…Wormtail…the stone cauldron…the bundle…Voldemort…just want to die, just let me die…_

'Harry! Wake up!

_Voldemort in the cauldron…scar seething…feeling like my head going to split in two…bone from the grave…the dagger…Wormtail's flesh…Wormtail holding dagger…pain…burning in my arm…blood…cauldron flaming…smoke…going to be sick…a man…no…Voldemort, he's back…_

'It's ok, Harry! It's just a dream! OW!'

_Voldemort…help…no…pain unbearable…the Dark Mark…Death Eaters…all around…no escape…helpless…Voldemort touches my scar…shear agony…want to black out…want it to be over…untied…wand in hand …feel helpless…no hope…all alone…going to die soon…it's over…_

'Harry, please! You have to wake up! Wake up!' Severus shouted into Harry's ear.

Harry awoke, jerking upright, fighting feverishly against the grips on his arms. He must have still been half asleep; he was still yelling, tears beginning in his half closed eyes.

'Harry!' he barked more urgently, grabbing the boy's head in his hands. Finally Harry seemed to come back to reality. He stared around the compartment a moment confused, but then he remember the nights events and relaxed. It _had _just been a dream. He was safe here. Snape was next to him, staring at him concernedly; he must have been yelling in his sleep again.

'Harry, what happened?' Severus asked Harry gently; afraid he would start screaming again.

'Just…just a ni-nightmare,' he stuttered, still shaken.

'That must have been some nightmare; you were thrashing and kicking around everywhere,' Snape said, pointing to a nasty bruise rising under his left eye, 'You hit me when I was trying to wake you.'

Harry looked horrified; he was about to apologise but Severus stopped him. 'It's fine, it doesn't matter. Are you alright?'

'Yeah…yeah, it ha-happens all the t-time.'

Severus looked at him worriedly a while longer and then nodded, letting it slide for now. 'We'll be arriving at the station soon. You should put a cloak on, it's freezing outside.'

'Put your hood on,' Snape told him as they got off the train. Harry looked at him questioningly for a moment but then did as he was told; pulling his hood over his head so it hid most of his face. He'd learnt a long time ago it was pointless to argue with Snape. There were other people from Hogsmeade on the platform waiting to board, glancing suspiciously at Snape and himself. Harry ignored them and followed his father over to the horseless carriages, making sure to keep his head down.

He didn't look up until they came to the black coaches and stopped in his tracks when he saw them. The carriages were no longer horseless but it definitely wasn't horses that were tethered to them either. In front of the coaches; in pairs, were these giant black beasts that could have been horses if they didn't look so skeletal and had wings. The pointed heads were more like that of a dragon's then a horse's and they had no manes or tails either.

'Harry?' He was snapped back to the present and he turned his gaze from the haunting creatures to Snape who was waiting for him to join him at the door of the coach. 'Are you coming?'

'Can you see them?' he asked.

Snape looked a little confused but then realised what Harry was talking about. 'The Threstals, you mean?'

'Is that what they're called?' Harry asked again, hoping like hell he wasn't just imagining these things.

'Come on, they won't hurt you. They've always been there.' And Snape stepped into the carriage and Harry had no choice but to follow him.

Neither of them said anything as the coach lurched forward pulling them towards the Hogwarts gates. Harry was still thinking about the dead-looking horses that were pulling the coach. Snape had said they'd always been there, but why hadn't he ever seen them until now?

'I've never seen them before,' Harry said casually, looking out the window. Hogwarts had just come into view. It's towers and halls looked peaceful and beautiful against the dawn sky. He smiled as he watched the castle come closer; he was home again.

Severus looked at Harry sadly. 'Harry, only people who have seen death can see the Threstals.'

Harry turned from the window, no longer smiling. 'You can see them too?'

The man looked quite upset suddenly and Harry regretted asking. 'Obviously,' his father snapped at him.

Silence filled the carriage again.

Harry didn't know what he'd done wrong, he certainly hadn't meant to upset Snape. All he'd done was ask him if he could see the Threstals too. It immediately dawned on him.

_That means Snape has seen someone die too idiot!_

'I'm sorry,' Harry whispered when he'd finally picked up the courage to speak. The other man just grunted in response, obviously in a bitter mood now. Harry couldn't believe how thoughtless he'd been. He hoped he hadn't messed up things with his father already.

He had to get out of here. He needed to get away from his father. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to escape. He need help. He needed the only person who'd ever really cared about; Severus Snape. But he was at Hogwarts…then that was where he'd go. He was sick of all of this. Of living in fear everyday, of being sworn to secrecy by his father not to tell anyone what he was up to. He didn't want to be the Death Eater's son anymore. He didn't want to follow in his footsteps. He never had. His father didn't even love him. He hit him. He threatened him. He hurt him. He had to get out of here.

_And I will. Tonight. I will go to Hogwarts._

The coach came to a halt right at the front door of the castle. Severus got out first, relieved that he could finally exit the small coach. He was feeling suddenly very short-tempered. Harry came out behind him, looking miserable and followed him obediently into the Entrance Hall. Severus saw the boy gazing at the high ceiling and beautiful tapestries fondly as he walked, as if it were the most beautiful thing in the world. Severus knew the feeling; Hogwarts wasn't just a school; it was a home. This school had been the first place he'd ever felt at home in his life, Hogwarts had been his sanctuary. He could see his son felt the same way. But he wasn't in the mood for pleasantries today and he just scowled at the boy instead.

'Keep your head down!'

Harry looked at him defensively. 'Why? We're in the castle now!'

Snape stomped back over to him. 'Shut up! We haven't decided what to do yet! The rest of the staff staying here can't recognise you! None of them even now you're here! Now hurry up, we have to go before they all wake up!'

Feeling stupid and angry at being talked to like a child, Harry grudgingly pulled his hood further over his face. They walked in silence to the stone gargoyle that was the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

'Fizzlesticks,' said Snape and the gargoyle burst into life; moving aside so they could enter. They climbed up the spiral staircase then Snape knocked on the heavy wooden door. 'Come in,' a voice from the other side immediately replied. Harry continued to keep his head down as he entered the office after Snape, scared at how his headmaster would react when he saw him.

'Severus,' he heard Dumbledore say, 'I'm so glad to see you back so soon. I trust you had a safe trip.'

'Yes, Albus,' his father replied, 'things turned out much easier then I thought they would but someone was watching us as we headed to the platform at Kings Cross. I didn't stay to investigate, of course.'

'Good, 'I'm glad you stuck to the plan. Things could have gone very wrong last night, but thankfully fortune was favouring us.' He paused, turning his gaze to the hooded figure beside Severus. 'Harry, why don't you come here…I want to see if Molly has been feeding you up like she promised she would.'

Harry walked over to the headmaster's desk, almost smiling when the old wizard came into view. It was good to see his pleasant smile again. He didn't object when Dumbledore grasped the hem of this hood and slowly dragged it back. 'Oh Severus,' the headmaster said, beaming, 'he is just as I imagined him to be. He looks like Lily, does he not?'

'Yes,' Snape agreed, 'very much so.'

'And she fooled us all, didn't she! No one ever suspected…' He kept staring at Harry, drinking in every feature of his face. It was only when Harry stared to look uncomfortable that he looked away and continued the conversation. 'Would you both please take a seat, we have much to discuss.'

Harry took the nearest seat and Snape came up and toke the seat next to him. The man didn't even look at him and Harry, sensing the tension, decided not to say anything to him. Dumbledore went around his desk and took his seat in this high chair. He glanced observantly at both of them, noticing the strain between the pair. He guessed that was quite understandable, they had literally hated each other before now. He hoped that that would change but he knew it was going to take a lot of work.

'So Severus, did you have anything in mind as to what we'd do about this…situation?'

'No Albus, I don't. I presumed you had thought of how to handle this,' Snape remarked.

'Well, I will admit I do have a few ideas as to how we could go about this, but I'd like to know how the two of you feel about this. Harry?'

'I…I don't know…I guess I'm more concerned about what would happen if this gets out…I mean, it wouldn't be really good if Voldemort found out…I just don't want anyone to get hurt over this…'

Dumbledore nodded, but continued. 'So you don't think this should be put into the open?'

'Would that be a good idea, sir?' answered Harry, ready this time. 'I mean, Voldemort wants me dead and he'd love something like this to use against me; and Professor Snape is supposed to be working for him, I don't think it would go down too well if Voldemort found out that he's…that we…that we're related.'

'Yes, Harry you are right. Though once your classmates arrive it would be foolish to think that none of them would make the connection between you and Severus; and then the news of your change would soon spread through the whole wizarding community.' He turned to Snape now. 'So what other option are we left with?'

Snape thought for a second. 'Another illusion spell perhaps,' he suggested.

'That is a possibility, yes,' Dumbledore agreed, 'but we do not know the exact spell that Lily used that made the spell last so long. She was very talented in her transfiguration. A normal illusion spell lasts only two days at the most. I would be able to perform a spell like the one Lily performed but it wouldn't last long. To keep the spell affective, I'd have to cast it every week and I fear that that would be quite dangerous as it may affect Harry's health to have so much complex magic contaminating his body.'

'And there's no other way that we could hide it?' asked Snape.

'Nothing that wouldn't effect Harry in the long run. Illusion spells aren't designed to last long and I have heard a theory that if an illusion spell is used over and over again on a person the modification becomes less and less effective.'

'So if we can't hide my identity…then what?' said Harry.

He and his father looked to Dumbledore, waiting for him to come out with some amazing and unexpected solution to their problem. Finally he spoke, 'I suggest we do nothing.'

'What!' the other two exclaimed. 'But you just agreed that that wouldn't be a good idea!' continued Snape.

'That doesn't mean it's a bad idea either,' Dumbledore replied calmly.

'But…

'Severus,' Dumbledore interrupted, 'you know as well as I do that this will get out eventually. Trying to prevent it will be a waste of time and as I've already pointed out will also be dangerous for Harry. I think we'll just have to go with it, let what happens happen. I'm not saying we should be totally careless either. But both of you are completely safe here at Hogwarts and Severus…I do think it is time I took you out of the field…

'WHAT!' Snape shouted, standing up from his chair. 'NO! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! I REFUSE! YOU CAN'T…

'Severus! Listen to me!' And his father was stopped in his tracks again, not daring to disobey his superior. 'You have been spying on Voldemort amongst his most faithful and dangerous followers for almost eighteen years now, it's a miracle you haven't been caught. I would have allowed you to continue on but you have other responsibilities now. You are a father; you have a son! What would happen to Harry if something happened to you? You know he can't go back to live with his relatives anymore. Do you want me to have to send him back there to be abused by his uncle further?'

At this Severus' head snapped up to glare at the headmaster furiously. 'Of course not!'

'If you were to die he'd have no one. He needs you; and I think you need him too. The only reason you continued spying all these years is because you thought you had nothing to lose. But now you've been given a second chance Severus; now you have Harry and you would be a fool to throw him away.' He stopped for a moment to let the words sink in. He was relieved to see he was getting through to Severus, who was staring at the floor now not wanting anyone to see his face. 'This is the chance you've always dreamt of, Severus…and you deserve it…so take it.'

Snape just stood there. 'But…

'Harry!' exclaimed Dumbledore getting impatient. 'Come here.'

Harry stood up and his headmaster took him by the shoulder, guiding so he stood right in front of his father. Dumbledore still had a firm grip on his shoulders so Harry just stood there and picked up the courage to look at Snape who was still eyeing the floor.

'Look at him, Severus,' said Dumbledore.

For a moment Harry thought he wasn't going to ever look at him, but then; slowly, Snape raised his head and looked him directly in the eyes. Harry thought he was seeing someone completely different; the mask Snape always wore had fallen away and in its place was a man who's expression showed nothing but grief and torment. They stood there for who knows how long and Snape just stared and stared at him. Harry wanted to reach out to him but he couldn't when Dumbledore had such a solid hold on him. He wished he could comfort Snape so he wouldn't have to feel this pain he was feeling anymore. He thought about what Dumbledore had said; the headmaster was suggesting they let destiny take it's own course and just let it be; that they, he and Snape, be a family.

_That is what Mum wanted,_ _and…that is what I want too. God, do I mean that? Yes, I do! I want Snape to be my father!_

'He wants you to be his father, Severus,' said Dumbledore, making Harry and Severus jump.

'What…how…'Harry started, looking up at the old wizard absolutely baffled. Had the headmaster just read his mind?

'I'm so sorry, Harry,' he apologised, 'but you are terrible at Occlumency.'

'What's Occlumency?'

Dumbledore chucked heartedly. 'I will tell you later, my boy.'

Severus had lost his voice, he didn't know what to say. Harry wanted him to be his father and so did he. So why was he so overwhelmed? Probably just shocked. He had to say something, the poor boy was staring at him hopefully; hoping he would accept him. And he wanted to, but…

'If anyone wants me I'll be out the back,' Dumbledore announced and then left to the room behind his desk leaving him alone with Harry.

Almost at once Severus walked away and strode over to the window, glancing out into the Hogwarts grounds and the beautiful sunrise. 'Do you really? he asked Harry, who was still standing by the desk.

'Yes.'

'Why?' he retaliated immediately.

_Go on! You've got nothing to lose._ He walked over to stand beside the man and watched with him as the sun rose up from the behind the Forbidden Forest.

'I'm tired of feeling like I'm alone in this world.' Severus looked down at him, Harry continued; still gazing at the dazzling landscape. 'I've never had a real family before and I don't know anything about being a family member. But I'd promise I'd do my best; to be a good son. If you'd have me…'

'I don't think I'd be a very good father, Harry.'

Harry grinned at him. _'Let me be the one to judge that.'_

_-Flashback-_

_Getting up, she went back over to the doorway, picking up his bag where she'd left it and gave it to him. 'Go get them then.'_

_Unable to believe what he was hearing, Severus pulled her closely to him again, smelling her beautiful red hair. 'I don't deserve you.'_

_Lily grinned. 'Let me be the one to judge that.'_

'_I won't be gone any longer than necessary,' he assured her._

'_And I'll be waiting for you.'_

'_I love you, Lily.'_

'_I love you too.'_

_-End Flashback-_

Severus smiled down at his son. He'd made up his mind. 'Ok.'

So, that's the end of Part One for this series. Please let me know what you think! Part Two will be out soon so keep an eye out, it's called: 'A New Home' and thanks again for reading.


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